Dying Flames
by SilentDreamer23
Summary: He thought starting a new journey through the Kalos region would free him of his biggest mistake. As he's come to find out, the past cannot be changed nor erased. Amourshipping; AASL; SatoSere; AshxSerena/Contestshipping; ShuHaru; DAML; MayxDrew Mentions of Advanceshipping.
1. Chapter 1

**_The sequel to my first story, Under the Moonlight, that is set three years ahead._**

**_Only time I'm writing this: Disclaimer - I do not own Pokemon or the characters involved_**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

A brand new day came around the city of Lumiose. Fletchlings and Pidoves flew across the shining sky. Shadows of large skyscrapers blocked out the beautiful sunrise he was so accustomed to seeing. From his hotel room, he could see the entire landscape of the city but not any of the wilderness that he grew up in. Just a few days in Lumiose and he already knew living in the city didn't appeal to him. Sure, there were many great places to visit and it was a melting pot of different cultures in one place, but the road is where he belonged.

He left Pallet Town six years ago to start his journey. Along the way he made good friends and met amazing people, caught a bunch of Pokémon, and competed in several tournaments. He even fell in love for the first time. But his eagerness to succeed tore them apart and so he traveled alone once more. Eventually he made it to the Kalos Region, after going to Sinnoh and Unova, to repeat the process. He won his first badge a while back and made new friends once again.

They currently rested in the best hotel in the city at one of the biggest Pokémon Centers, after arriving three days before. Prism Tower sat in the heart of the city, just a few blocks away from where they stayed. His next Gym Battle would take place there but he didn't worry about it much. He was too preoccupied by thoughts that were once foreign to him, but thanks to a certain sapphire-eyed girl, they became a common thing.

"Ash, sweetie, come back to bed. I'm getting lonely." Serena, his current girlfriend, called out to him still half asleep.  
He ignored her by continuing to look at the city that was starting to come alive. Tiny figures traveled up and down the roads, opening shops and getting ready for the day. He heard the rustling of covers and moments later he felt her warm lips on his bare shoulder blade. Her chilly hands made him shudder as they met on his muscular stomach. The feeling was all too familiar.

"What's on your mind?" She rested her head on his back.

Ash couldn't tell her because it would break her heart. A month had passed since they started dating after finding out they both went to Professor Oak's camp when they were children. In that month they reconnected and found out they had tons in common. They both enjoyed battling, for one. And they both accepted each other's lifestyle. Whereas Ash focused solely on battling and winning the Pokémon League, Serena enjoyed fashion and baking. She was his biggest supporter and a hell of a baker.

Despite their understanding, bringing up an old flame would be opening a whole new can of worms. Ash wasn't comfortable yet talking about his past relationships and he certainly wasn't going to say a thing to Serena. It didn't help that she was a tiny bit insecure about other girls talking to him.

"It's nothing. I'm just really anxious for my battle." He lied.  
"Hmph, it's going to be fine. I know you're going to win." She responded.

Turning sideways, he placed his arm around her and smiled. There was no point involving her in something that was no more. What he had before was in the past and should be left there. He had a great thing with Serena at the moment and he was determined to keep her happy.

"Let's go down to the cafe and get breakfast. I'm sure Bonnie and Clemont are waiting for us." She kissed him and went to get ready without waiting for an answer.

Ash watched her pick up a red skirt and black shirt off a recliner, golden brown hair cascading down her slender back and bouncing with each movement. Before disappearing into the bathroom, she stopped at the door and gave him a mischievous smile over her shoulder. No doubt for leering at her in just her lacy pink underwear. And why not? She had a tremendous body that she loved to show off.

She would turn heads every time they stepped out in public and he took their jealous stares all in stride. She was a tease, after all. The small outfits she wore always revealed her amazing legs and hugged her curves perfectly. At times he found himself asking how he ended up with these beautiful girls.

What caught him off guard was the look in her teal eyes that reminded him of the person he tried so hard to forget. Hers, though, were a true ocean blue that haunted him still.

He shook his head, furiously trying to rid himself of the memories. He picked up his black t-shirt and sat on the edge of the bed, reaching for his shoes and socks underneath. Once done dressing, he let out an enormous huff of breath and fell backwards. Something came over him that caused him to rethink a decision he made years ago.

_"You promised me, Ash. You were always going to be by my side."_

Her words echoed in and out of his head. What caused it, he had no clue. Then again, people always thought he was dense.

The bathroom door swung open, causing him to open his eyes and look up at the ceiling. He felt the bed sink lower with extra weight. Serena sat on her knees, looking down and smiling at him. His thoughts cleared for the moment as he smiled back. Grabbing her wrists, he pulled her down on top of him and got a tiny yelp of surprise out of her. If anybody could pull him out of his funk, it was the pretty girl giggling into his ear.

"Come on, Ash. I'm really hungry." She tried to pull away but he kept kissing her chin and neck.  
"I'm serious," She kept laughing the entire time until she finally broke away from his grip.

Ash sat up and held on to her soft hands. "I'm going to win, for us." He kissed her knuckles to seal the promise.  
She bent over and planted a soft kiss on his forehead. "I know you are. Let's go eat."

They both got up and headed down to the cafe, already a half hour late. Whatever bugged him before was quickly out of his mind as he and Serena walked down the lobby hand in hand.

* * *

"Oh look at that dress. Can we go shopping later?" Serena asked as she and Ash traveled along the now busy streets, stopping every so often to do a bit of window shopping.  
"Sure. Let's get breakfast first." He practically dragged her down the road to where the cafe was located.

An array of aromas from all sorts of shops danced around them. There was a flower shop with different pots holding fresh flowers. Besides that, cafes and restaurants dominated every square inch of the city. On every corner, it seemed, there was a cafe or restaurant open and already serving people.

"Ash, Serena!" They both turned at the sound of their names.  
Two platinum blondes sat outside at a cafe, shielded from the sun by a white parasol. Along with them were two tiny mouse Pokemon nibbling on a piece of bread.  
"Pikaa!" Pikachu, Ash's longtime companion, jumped up onto his shoulder, still chewing the tasty treat in its mouth.

"Hey, buddy." Ash pulled out a chair for Serena and himself. "Did you have fun with Bonnie?"  
"Pi-pikachu!" The yellow mouse nodded its head and grabbed another muffin from the middle of the table.  
"Dedenne and Pikachu wore me out. They have tons of energy that's too much for little ole me." The youngest member, and Clemont's sister, yawned and stuffed a chocolate chip muffin into her mouth afterwards.

"Bonjour, monsieur et mademoiselle. Can I take your order?" A peppy waitress with a light French accent stopped at their table. Both Serena and Ash picked out their favorite foods, Serena a buttery croissant and Ash a stuffed omelet, and handed back the menus to the waitress.

The group then caught up on their day so far and what they had planned for the afternoon. Serena wanted to take Bonnie shopping as a way to bond. Clemont and Ash were lucky enough to avoid a boring afternoon cruise down the boulevard.

"I need to train a bit more before going up against you, Clemont." Ash said while petting Pikachu's head.  
"Just because we're friends doesn't mean I'm going to take it easy." He replied, fixing his glasses that reflected the sun's rays.  
"I don't expect you to."  
The two exchanged a knowing look that their battle would definitely be one for the ages.

After a short wait, their order came in the form of two large platters and two tall glasses of juice.  
"Bon appétit."

Having already eaten, the siblings looked over the Pokemon while Ash and Serena ate.  
As they did, something on the flat screen television hanging on the wall made him pick at his food rather than gobble the entire thing down.

_"Welcome back to Contest Hall Report. I'm your host, Sage."_

"Ooh, it's my favorite show." Serena said but Ash ignored.  
He found it odd that a Sinnoh channel would be shown here and that it just so happened to be about Pokémon Contests. Arceus must have been trying to tell him something.

"_With me today are two very special guests. From LaRousse City, this year's runner-up at the Sinnoh Grand Festival, please welcome Drew._"

A moss haired individual, sporting almost the exact attire from when they first met, came into the picture. It looked like he still held a higher position than regular people with the way he smirked at the camera. Girls around the café gathered around the television and fawned over his appearance.

"_He's so handsome."  
"If only I was a few years younger."  
_Just a few of the many statements made by his groupies that shared the same sentiments.

"_And this year's winner, the rightfully named 'Princess of Hoenn', May Maple._"

He dropped his fork and nearly passed out at the sight of her. In the two years they were apart, she had somehow surpassed beautiful and went straight to drop dead gorgeous. Her honey brown hair had grown longer, resembling her mother's. A small red ribbon tied it all together. She wore light touches of red lipstick and blue eye shadow. But the one thing that remained the same was her eyes. All that time apart and they remained the ocean tinted orbs that he fell in love with.

"Ash? Ash!"  
He snapped out his trance and saw all his friends staring at him.  
"Are you okay? Serena asked, placing a caring hand on his.  
"Fine. Why?"

"You haven't touched your food. You'd be on a second plate by now." Clemont pointed out.  
He looked down at his plate and saw it untouched, save for a few slices of Sitrus berries cut in half.

"I was just paying attention to the show. It's, uh, interesting."  
"I'll say. I can't believe Drew and May are coming to the city." Bonnie chimed in.  
"I know. They're both amazing Coordinators. I just need to get their autographs." Serena shared the same excitement as the little girl.

While being enthralled by May's amazing transformation, Ash missed the announcement and again he found himself zoning out. She was entering his life once again. The idea of seeing one of his closest friends excited him to no end. But given their history and how they ended, seeing May again was something he was scared of. Did she even care anymore?

Mindlessly, he stuffed bits of cold egg in his mouth while hearing his friends go on about Drew and May and their performances at the Grand Festival. Their mouths moved but no sound reached his ears. The same went for the television broadcast. He watched both of them openly showing affection for one another, and it made him sick. It wasn't that long ago that he was the one doing the same.

It was no secret Drew always had a thing for May. He made it obvious by giving her single roses every time they met up with him at a Contest. Even when she was with Ash, that snot-haired snob tried to meddle in their relationship. At the end of the Kanto Grand Festival, he witnessed Drew giving her yet another rose before leaving. Just thinking about that night made his blood boil.

"Anyways, let's get going. I want to do some shopping before heading to the Gym. Are you ready, Ash?"  
He turned to Serena and was glad she wanted to leave. Seeing his first love getting all lovey-dovey with somebody else infuriated him. He ate the last few pieces of fruit and chugged the rest of his juice before standing up.

They paid their bill and left a tip before heading to the town square.

"I'm heading to the gym for some preparations. Take care of Bonnie will you, Serena?" Clemont asked of the older girl.  
"We'll be fine. Ash is going to train, so it'll be just us girls today." She assured him.

He went off and left the three of them that were soon to be just one.

"Don't wear them out too much. We'll meet you there once we're done."  
"Okay. Have fun." He kissed her goodbye, much to the discomfort of Bonnie.  
"Gross. Let's go already." She dragged Serena away and off they went to the nearest boutique.

Pikachu jumped up on Ash's shoulder as they walked down the crowded streets in no particular direction. On almost every store window he passed there was an advertisement promoting the arrival of 'Contest Royalty', as they put it. He wondered how they went unnoticed since leaving the hotel.

"Pika?" The yellow mouse appeared to have sensed his discomfort.  
It didn't surprise him seeing as May meant just as much to Pikachu. "Yeah, buddy. She's coming back."

* * *

**A/N: Just a little preview of my next project that involves both Amourshipping and Contestshipping with hints of Advanceshipping. The story is still in the planning phase but I have a general idea on what I want to do with it. I'm more focused on finishing _Chance Encounters _so this story won't be updated as frequently.  
**

**Completely off topic but if anyone needs a beta reader, I am more than willing to help you out. If you are interested, send me a PM and I'll gladly help.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

_"You're blowing this out of proportion, Ash. She's just going for a Contest event."_ Brock, his once traveling companion and current practicing Pokemon Breeder, said through the video phone in the Pokemon Center.

"I know and I'm happy she won, but seeing her again brought up old feelings."

_"Look, Ash, you guys are over. She moved on and so did you. Why keep going back when you have something great with Serena?"_

He remained quiet. Brock was repeating the same sentiments he felt just that morning.

_"You've grown up a lot. You should know by now when to let go."_

If anybody knew how to move on, it would be Brock. His Lothario personality kept him chasing the girls. Even after they rejected him, he moved on to the next one, and the next one, and another. He was a persistent man.

His charm must have rubbed off on Ash because after his break up, he dated another Coordinator while in Sinnoh; a pretty, blue-haired girl named Dawn. Though, it was more on-again-off-again than he would've liked. Being involved and then breaking up with another Coordinator did little to ease the pain. He took a break while traveling throughout Unova to focus more on his training. And now in Kalos, he found a girl that swooned him like no other.

"Maybe you're right..."

They said goodbye shortly thereafter. Telling the others he needed to train was a lie to get some time alone. He was already confident that his Pokemon would beat Clemont's so the free time he had was spent reminiscing.

Ash aimlessly walked around Centrico Plaza thinking about his time in Hoenn and going through Johto alone with May. The beginning of their travels started off with such high hopes and towards the end they sputtered. She won her first two ribbons and he met up with old friends. Then one day he messed up and it all spiraled out of control from there. Just thinking about their relationship stirred up feelings that should have been shackled away. Yet they kept picking the lock looking for an escape. And they appeared to have found one.

He sat down on a bench facing Prism Tower. Normally he'd be beyond excited to win his next badge, but there wasn't anything normal when it came to his personal life. He couldn't help going into the abandoned theatre of his mind, and all that played was a day where he was last happy.

* * *

_The clouds came in around noon. The storm blew in just minutes after. From their room in the Ecruteak Pokémon Center, he stared out the window, watching the rain leave a trail. May sat on their bed behind him, brushing the pink fur of her little Skitty.  
"That new Pokéblock is working wonders. Your coat is really soft and shiny. Don't you think so, Ash?"_

_"Uh huh.." He answered quietly, not even paying the slightest attention.  
They had been traveling from city to city doing the same routine for the better part of four months now. With new rules being implemented for Contests, she had to adjust and come up with new routines. Her training lasted hours and left little time to spend with each other. With the rain pouring, they finally had some time together in a while._

_The monotony was starting to get to him. He fought the boredom by perfecting new attacks and combinations with Pikachu but even that reached a level of dullness. Battling other trainers just didn't offer the same reward it once did._

_Soft hands wrapped themselves around his stomach and he felt the warm sensation of her breath by his ear. It was the little things she did that brought a smile to his face and always put him in a better mood._

_"Do you remember what next week is?"  
"It's our one year anniversary." He turned to her and placed both hands on her hips, staring directly into her beautiful eyes. "How could I forget the happiest day of my life?"_

_"One whole year that we've been together. Promise me we'll make it another year, Ash." Her sapphire eyes called for reassurance.  
"I promise I'll never leave your side, May." He had no intention of lying to her. There was no way he would let go of something that brought him everlasting joy.  
_

* * *

"Guess who?" Two pairs of small hands covered his eyes, bringing him out of a dangerous place in his mind.

The playful voice behind him was one he had come to appreciate. Though he didn't share his past relationships with her, she nonetheless took his mind off them and provided some fun that he missed dearly. Training for years and always coming up short could break any normal man, but he had great friends that always managed to liven up his spirits.

Tilting his head back, he smiled as Serena removed her hands and planted a sweet kiss on his lips.  
"You didn't give me a chance to guess." He teased.  
She sat down next to him and was surprised to find she was alone.  
"Where's Bonnie?"  
"I took her to the Gym after we carried our bags back to the hotel."

They stared at the activity going on around them. A couple of battles were going on at different areas of the Plaza, street vendors sold their various items to the spectators. Serena took out a small orb that enlarged when she pushed the button in the middle.

"Come on out, Fennekin."

Short rays of light escaped from within the Pokéball and transformed into a yellow fox that shot small embers out of its nostrils.

"Go and play with Pikachu for a while."

Both Pokémon began chasing each other around while he and Serena relaxed under the shade of the Honey Locust trees. They made small talk even though Ash was miles away in his own world and Serena knew it.

"You've been acting really strange lately. What's wrong?"

He contemplated telling her everything and getting the massive weight off his chest. But a part of him wondered if she would leave him if she knew May was his ex. He couldn't handle a third breakup this early in his life. Particularly from somebody he had been with for only six weeks.

"It's nothing, really. I'm just not used to being cooped up in one place this long." It was a lie, a horrible lie at that, but it was the only thing he could come up with on the spot. He actually enjoyed experiencing what each city had to offer.

"There's so much to do in the city. You can battle, eat at great restaurants, I thought it'd be ideal for you."  
"It is, for the most part. You make it worthwhile, though." He hoped to end the conversation by complimenting her.  
"Aww, you're so sweet." She wrapped her arms around his neck and nuzzled him.  
By the time they decided to head over to Prism Tower, both Pikachu and Fennekin were tuckered out from playing. Serena called back Fennekin and carried Pikachu along the way.

Walking past the fountain, they were suddenly stopped by a running Bonnie.  
"Guys, come quick! Clemont's in trouble!" She cried out, waving her arms frantically.  
"Bonnie, what's wrong?!" Ash yelled as they followed her towards the building.  
"I'll tell you once we get there. Now hurry up!"

Once they reached the tower, they were beyond tired. Serena and Ash were wheezing and coughing and gasping for air while the little girl marched up the steps.  
"Hurry up!"  
"Jeez, Bonnie. Let us catch our breath." Serena removed her hat and wiped her forehead.

"_Aaahhh!_"  
They all looked up when they heard a scream coming from inside the building followed by what sounded like an explosion.  
"Clemont!" Bonnie rushed inside, leaving both of them to give chase once again. They raced through a narrow hall, lit by clear, tube-like pillars filled with electricity. Their footsteps echoed loudly as they followed Bonnie to a large metallic door.

"He's in there." She pointed to the room in front of them.  
"Bonnie, can you tell us what happened?" Ash repeated Serena's last request.  
Before she could answer, the door slid open and Clemont stepped out carrying a robot head under his arm.  
"Big brother!" The younger sibling rushed to the older blond and hugged him.  
"Hey, guys. What's up?" He acted like nothing happened, completely ignoring the scratches on his face and arms.

"What happened to you?" Serena asked and pointed to the dismembered robotic head in his hands.  
"Oh this? Just a little project that went haywire." He held it out and frowned.  
"See what happens when you put a robot as a gym leader?" Bonnie scolded.

Ash looked past the gym leader and saw the battlefield decimated. The arena was covered with holes, pillars toppled over with glass shattered on the floor. "So that's the result?"  
The others turned and saw the same scene. "Yeah.. I'm afraid our battle's gonna have to wait, Ash."

He was clearly bummed out. He wanted to win the badge and get back on the road, but the unexpected turn of events set him back. Then again, they could head out earlier thanks to it. "How long is it going to take?"

"Well, a couple of days it looks like. I have to reprogram Clembot here and fix the field."  
Ash frowned. Staying was the last thing he wanted since finding out May and Drew were making a stop in the city. And he knew Serena would drag him along regardless of any fight he put up.

"I know you probably don't want to wait around," Clemont continued, "But the Cyllage City Gym isn't that far away. We can go there and come back here later on."  
His expression changed in a snap. The getaway he desperately wanted was right in front of him and now he could leave without seeing May.  
"But we have to wait for the Contest Signing tomorrow." Both girls said in unison.

And just like that, the opening slammed shut right in his face.

Arguing with a girl, let alone two, was next to impossible. He found out the hard way, not that he even tried. When Serena gave him puppy dog eyes there was no way he could say no.  
"Fine. I'm going to sit outside, though."  
"Yay!" Both of them high-fived each other.

"I'm really sorry for the inconvenience, Ash. But with the extra training it'll make a better match, don't you think?" Clemont tried to lessen his disappointment.  
"Of course. We'll both be stronger." He gave a weak smile that seemed to fool him for the moment. All he really wanted was to leave the city.

The group, minus Clemont, exited the building, ready to head back to the Pokémon Center. Night had come quickly; streetlights were on all around the plaza. Prism Tower turned night to day by itself. The building illuminated the entire city with its shining orbs attached to the foundation.

Serena hooked her arm around Ash's, head rested firmly on his shoulder as they walked along the road. "It's so romantic, don't you think?"

There was no denying the romanticism the city offered was unlike any other. He traveled across different lands and only a few he had come to like. What made the experiences one of a kind were the people he had around him. They dragged him everywhere and exposed him to the culture of each city.

Now, as he held hands with Serena, he felt ashamed for thinking about his past relationships. She was a great girlfriend, and an even better person. Brock had the right idea of letting go. Certain things in the past are left there for a reason.

Ash turned to her and smiled, "It really is."

* * *

**Feels good writing again. This story still doesn't have a clear path but I'm writing down each new idea and hope it all ties together. I will try but I can't promise I'll be updating as frequently as I used to. For now enjoy and leave some feedback.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

May Maple stared out the private jet's window, watching the puffy clouds hover over the vast ocean. The morning sunrise painted the entire sky in a vibrant mixture of yellow and orange. In just a few hours she and her boyfriend Drew would be landing in Lumiose City for a special appearance.

The engine vibrated silently inside the luxurious cabin provided by the Contest Committee. After years of competing and incurring millions for them, May and Drew were in the upper echelon of Coordinators and therefore reaped the benefits. The media had dubbed them 'Contest Royalty' due to their combined wins and the fact that they were involved romantically.

They went as far as to call her the 'Princess of Hoenn', a name she secretly enjoyed but carried a large amount of pressure behind it. Truth be told, her prince wasn't the man sitting next to her, sleeping comfortably. No, her prince was a certain raven-haired boy she met when she first started her journey. At least, he used to be.

That's not to say Drew wasn't a good boyfriend, in fact, he was more giving than she thought. They flirted a lot when they first met, but she kept it friendly because her heart was transfixed on her traveling partner. He would occasionally hand her roses as a sign of wanting more than friendship, but she was too busy falling for somebody else to give him more. When she and her partner had a falling out, Drew was the first person to be there for her. She eventually chose to be with him once she knew it was over. Even now, as she stroked his hand with her thumb, she knew she made the right choice.

"You should get some rest. We have a long day ahead of us." He said through closed eyes.

She complied, reclining her seat and resting her head on his broad shoulder.

* * *

"Hello and welcome to Boutique Couture. We thank you for spending your day with us." Grace, their hired publicist, acknowledged the roaring crowd while they sat behind a makeshift curtain separating them from the others.

Drew sat calmly next to her. Having done this only a handful of times, she was more nervous. It seemed silly now that she thought of it. She had no problem performing in front of thousands, and millions more watching on TV, in Pokémon Contests. What was there to be afraid of speaking to a significantly smaller audience?

May knew the answer before the thought came to mind. She called Brock one day after hearing that he was working with a well-known Breeder in Kanto. Aside from the usual catching up, he informed her of the whereabouts of her former lover. Apparently, Ash was traveling around the Kalos region but didn't specify his exact location. Not that she cared. She stopped thinking about him a year after they separated.

At the time she didn't believe she'd set foot on the region, but when Drew said they had a commitment there his image came flooding back. When she wasn't training for the Sinnoh Grand Festival, the free time was spent thinking about her first love. All the fun and spontaneous adventures they had, each night spent sleeping in each other's arms, kept invading her mind.

_"So without further ado, please welcome May and Drew!"_

She was so lost in thought that she didn't stand up with Drew until he squeezed her hand and pulled her up.

"Are you okay?" His piercing green eyes still held her attention after all their time together. The sincere concern she noticed only after they started dating. His confident attitude was still there but the caring side is what she came to love.

With a squeeze right back and a beaming smile, she nodded. "I'm doing great."

They walked through the curtain and were greeted with a deafening roar of thousands of screaming fans, waving and trying to grab them as they walked up to the stage. They both waved back and took a seat behind a long table with microphones.

"My oh my, what a great crowd. First off, let's give another hand to these amazing Coordinators." Grace pointed to them and another loud roar erupted.

May scanned the crowd and saw the many different faces of their fans. From young girls talking to their friends, to older gentlemen standing next to their girlfriends and wives. One couple, in particular, caught her attention. A girl wearing a pink hat kept tugging at the boy next to her who kept his head down. Her eyes must have imagined a yellow mouse climbing up to his shoulder.

_Surely it couldn't be..._

She returned her attention back to Grace as she asked Drew what it was like to compete against his girlfriend in the finale. This she wanted to hear, not only to distract her wandering mind, but to hear his honest answer.

"It was incredible. We both set aside our feelings and gave it all we had. Of course, it wasn't the first time we went head-to-head." He flicked his mossy hair backwards, causing the girls to swoon over him.

He then went on to tell their battle in the Kanto Grand Festival many years ago. May feigned a kind smile, but inside she was dreading his story. It did nothing but conjure up the same feelings she was trying to get rid of.

"May, how did it feel winning your very first Grand Festival?"

Clearing her throat and taking a deep breath, she inched herself to the microphone and said, "The feeling is beyond this world. As a Coordinator you alway look for ways to improve your craft, and it is a great way to bond with your Pokemon. Winning the Grand Festival is a culmination of all that hard work."

Everybody cheered like it was the greatest thing ever said. After that the questions became easier to answer as she settled in to the newfound fame bestowed upon her. Her smile never wavered and she laughed at a few embarrassing questions. In all, it was a great success.

"Thank you for coming out. To those who were lucky enough to receive a wristband, May and Drew will be signing autographs in a half-hour." Grace then proceeded to give instructions on where to line up and how long it would last.

May and Drew waved goodbye to the raucous crowd before returning backstage for a quick lunch. Her appetite remained the one constant in her life. She ate twice as many sandwiches than the rest of the group, and at one time choked on a few bites that she ate too fast.

"Let's finish up. We don't want to keep your fans waiting." Grace said as she finished the last bite of her food and heading back out.

"Mr. Drew, I am such a big fan." An enthusiastic blond girl handed him a poster of the Grand Festival with shaky hands.

"Hey, don't be so nervous." He signed and handed it back. "Thank you for the support." The girl grinned ear to ear as she headed down the steps.

"They all seem to flock towards you." May laughed as she was passed once again by another teen girl anxious to meet him. The line was trimming down quickly and only a dozen or so people asked for her autograph. You would think the winner would get the most attention than the runner-up. It just so happened that the runner-up had a bigger fan base than she thought.

He gave her a smile out of the corner of his mouth while he signed the small poster. "There's one for you."

She turned back and recognized the perky girl standing before her as the one she saw in the crowd earlier, and she happened to be the last person in line. "Hi, there."

"Hello, Ms. May. I am huge fan of yours." She clutched a small notebook against her dark blouse. "I have seen all your Contests, and it's such an honor to meet you."

"Aren't you sweet." May blushed lightly as she took the book from her. "Who should I make this out to?"

"Serena. Oh and can you also put my boyfriend's name?"

"Sure. What's his name?"

"Ash."

She stopped scribbling and simply stared at the inside cover decorated with small flowers. The name was like a sharp knife driving into her heart, releasing all sorts of bottled emotions. It couldn't have been the same, she said to herself. She wouldn't allow herself to think it was the very same.

"He's standing right over there." Serena said, and she looked up to see her pointing to a pillar near the exit.

There he stood, arms crossed and hat bent so low it partially shielded his eyes. He was a ghost of his former self. The cheery, always-ready-for-anything boy she had known growing up, had he himself grown over the years. But the one thing she liked that stayed the same was his yellow friend, who jumped off his shoulder and dashed towards them

"Pikaa!" It jumped over the table and nuzzled her chest as it hugged her. She felt an overwhelming sense of joy knowing that Pikachu still remembered her.

"I missed you, too." She said while petting her longtime friend.

"Wait, you know Pikachu? You must know Ash then?"

As if on cue, she saw Ash stroll down the walkway, head hanging low and hands shoved into his pockets.

"Small world.." she heard Drew say under his breath. In all her excitement of seeing Pikachu, she forgot Drew was still sitting next to her. He and Ash had prior history, dating all the way back to when they were still travelling through Hoenn. It was one of the reasons she argued with both of them to bury the hatchet. But they were both as stubborn as a sleeping Snorlax.

"Ash, why didn't you tell me you knew Ms. May?" Serena asked once he was close to the table.

"Please, just call me May." She never liked formalities. It gave her a sense of entitlement that was undeserved as of yet.

Ash raised his head and exposed his chestnut eyes. "It's good to see you, May." His voice was rougher, raspier than she remembered.

"Same here." May supressed a lump forming in her throat. Why were these feelings showing themselves now? Hadn't she moved on and been happier with Drew?

The tension between them could be sliced with a knife. They stared at each other like it was the first time all over. His eyes were still the peaceful brown color that always made her smile. But she couldn't smile, not now. There was something deep in her mind preventing her from rekindling old emotions.

"Ahem.." Drew cleared his throat, "Ash, nice seeing you here." He extended his hand to him and they greeted each other. Albeit, both with false grins that hid their hatred for one another. "It's a pity we can't stay. We have reservations at a restaurant later tonight and May said she wanted to do a bit of shopping while we're here."

May listened to Drew try and find an excuse to leave. Yet as he did, she couldn't think of leaving without talking to Ash for a little longer, but just as friends. Good friends catching up on old times. "Serena if you're not busy, do you mind showing me around the best stores?"

The words left her mouth before she could think of the consequences. Serena seemed like a nice girl and she knew Drew wouldn't be able to get them out of this one.

Serena's face lit up and let out a small squeal of delight. "It would be an honor Ms. M-I mean, May. I hope you don't mind if I bring along my friend. She's a big fan of yours, too."

"The more the merrier." May handed back her notebook and let go of the little mouse who looked up at her with its small, beady eyes. She felt a pang of sadness when it hopped off her lap and back to Ash's shoulder. "Okay, I'll meet you in Centrico Plaza in an hour."

Serena and Ash said their goodbyes and left them alone at the autograph table. The event was over and done with, but the trouble was just beginning. Drew walked off back to the hotel without her, muttering nonsense she couldn't understand. It was just the beginning, she knew. He threw a nasty fit when things didn't go his way. Now she had to deal with that and Ash. Oh, to be young and stupid.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

_It was colder that night, far more than any other through her time in Johto. Being close to the Ice Path only amplified the chill coming through the window of her rented room._

_The last stop on her Contest tour was Blackthorn City, just as a spectator, though. She already won the five ribbons necessary for entry to the Johto Grand Festival and was now cheering on friends that still needed to win that final ribbon. Among the Coordinators in the mix was Drew._

_Drew..._

_Their relationship was a complicated situation that kept her morally confused. He genuinely cared for her and always made sure to talk to her whenever they met up. It was easier then since she was already involved with someone else and it never escalated beyond a friendly chat about their Pokémon and the upcoming contest._

_Things changed in the last month, though. Her love life crumbled under the pressure of jealousy and boredom, and she was left alone in her last Contest. Her Pokémon carried her to the final. Somehow she managed to pull off the win despite the draining act of masking her emotions. _

_In all honesty, she didn't know why she was in Blackthorn City. Her final destination was the foot of Mt. Silver where the Grand Festival was being held, yet she decided to spend a few days distracting herself from the agony of her break up. It was supposed to be a magical experience with the one person she thought was the one. _

_Tears quietly fell down the side of her cold face. As hard as she tried, the pain was just settling in. She felt abandoned, empty inside without having his support. All she needed was for somebody to tell her things were going to be alright; that he would eventually realize his the mistake and come back._

_"Roserade, use Petal Dance!"_

_She perked up at the sound of a familiar voice in the distance. She looked around the dark landscape of the Pokémon Center yard and saw beautiful pink petals spiraling upwards into the sky._

_The sight had her walking back inside and down to the courtyard. With everything wrong going on in her personal life, she needed a friend who could help her._

* * *

May slid the key card to her expensive hotel room after walking back alone after the signing. Along the way she cursed herself for making rash decisions without thinking of the consequences. There was no point in igniting a flame that had long been extinguished. Ash moved on with a seemingly nice girl and she was with a great guy. What was the use of tearing it all apart?

_'It's just dress shopping with Serena, not Ash,' _she kept telling herself. But would Drew see it the same way? If his storming off was any indication, she would have to prepare for a lengthy talk.

Drew sat out on the terrace overlooking the marvelous city beneath them. She dropped her bag on the queen-size bed and slowly walked to the sliding door separating her and her undeniably frustrated boyfriend.

"Do you still like him?" He asked bluntly.

"No." She let out softly. She tried to sound assertive to quell any doubt that made her think otherwise. Whether Drew believed her or not, was yet to be seen.

She leaned against the frame and let the breeze blow her hair back. She watched as he raised a tall glass of clear liquid to his lips and then setting it back down without a single response.

Every time they got into an argument each stood their ground and refused to budge, as was their nature. They were both passionate human beings and it sometimes translated into verbal spats that were full of false hate. In the end they always reconciled and held each other as they expressed their lament.

She would need to avoid escalating this fight in order for both of them to enjoy their stay.

"Drew, I want you to know one thing." She made her way to the railing in front of him. The wind picked up a few and blew parts of her dress around. He stared at her with his emerald green eyes while taking another sip of water.

"What I had with Ash does not matter anymore. We had different goals and our relationship fell apart because of it."

He kept on gazing at her and furrowed his brow at the mention of her past love. She ignored it and continued, "He found someone else and I found somebody better." If she learned anything during their time together, being praised was one of his weaknesses.

Drew's lips curled up in a cocky grin as he lowered his head to his hands and chuckled. "Why can't I stay mad at you?"

May walked to him in satisfaction and placed both hands on his shoulders. "Come on, it's our vacation. We deserve some time off." She pushed his body up slightly so he was looking at her. "I don't want this to ruin our anniversary."

He moved his hands over hers and rubbed them in a caring manner. "It won't. We are going to celebrate two magnificent years tonight. Although, I really wish it were four because he-"

"Drew?" She interrupted. She wanted him to be the bigger man and not call Ash names or bring up their past. Their future together was all that mattered.

"Sorry, you're right." He stood up and kissed her lightly on the lips. "We'll have the best night tonight. That's a promise." He wrapped both arms around her and they began rocking back and forth in a little intimate dance.

The city beneath them roared with the hustle and bustle of everyday life. A light breeze blew around them as they swayed their worries away. The smile on both their faces immediately discarded the ill feelings they had before.

"I love you, May." Drew kissed her cheek, causing her to giggle at the little act of love.

"I love you, too, sweetie."

* * *

The elevator ride back up to their room was dreadfully quiet. After leaving the lobby, Ash confessed to Serena that he indeed know May and followed up by saying they were once a couple. The shock must have been substantial because they stopped talking right then and there.

Serena held on to Pikachu, looking at the floor and burying her chin into its yellow fur. Ash leaned back against the railing with his hands shoved into his pockets and stared at the numbers lighting up with each floor they passed. The muted whirring of the elevator became the only noise between them.

Once the door opened and they walked down the deserted hallway, each were relieved to have arrived at their room. They just needed a rest from all that had taken place.

But like all the obstacles that stood in his way all week, he couldn't catch a break.

"Why didn't you tell me you dated May, Ash?" Serena began questioning as soon as he closed the door behind him.

He took a deep breath while thinking of a good answer. "It didn't seem important. To be honest, it still isn't."

"But..what do you mean?" She proceeded to plop down on top their bed, staring with confused baby blues.

He sat down next to her, grazing her fair skin with his thumb. "What I had with her was...special, I'll admit it." He made sure to pick the right words. The last thing he wanted was a misunderstanding that could potentially blow up a non-problem. "I thought we'd be together forever, but it didn't turn out that way. And I'm glad it didn't, because I never would've met you."

He couldn't recall when the change in him took place. He was always called dumb and oblivious growing up and often ignored the signs of attraction from his fellow female companions. But since arriving to Kalos and starting fresh, he felt like a new man. Things were clearer and his focus was through the roof. Because of it he was able to balance his training and keeping his girlfriend happy.

However, Serena loved to throw a curveball every now and then. "Do you still like her?"

The correct answer was no, his mind knew it right away. His heart, on the other hand, couldn't ignore his past with May. They were kids following their dreams while just coming into their own. But with one stupid decision, it ended the fairy tale relationship she had always wanted. Her tears will forever be forged into his conscience.

Serena's glimmering eyes reminded him of that forgetful night. He swore to never make another person he deeply cared for cry. "No..I don't. She's just a friend now."

Even if it wasn't entirely true, he had to force himself to believe it. Serena was the only other girl who captured his heart. She deserved better than to constantly think about being second best. She had far better qualities that set her apart and benefited him more than any other girl. He needed to forget the old days and continue building a future with the girl in front of him.

She wiped the corner of her eye and smiled. "Okay." Ash smiled in return, kissed her forehead and grabbed a firm hold of her hand.

They leaned on each other and would need to continue trusting one another in times of doubt. He wasn't about to ruin a perfect relationship over nothing.

* * *

**Thank you to those that have favorited and are following this story. I've been busy with other projects that I'm not writing as much as I used to but I hope this chapter will make up for all that. Tell me what you like and what I can do different in the comments. I value all of your feedback and am always trying to get better. Enjoy the rest of your day!**


	5. Chapter 5

**_Thanks to the people who have followed, reviewed, and favorited this story so far. I enjoy reading your comments and have used it to improve. I mentioned before that I burned out after three straight years of writing fanfiction. I'm just now starting to get into the habit after a much needed break, and hopefully will start updating at a regular pace. I hope you enjoy the chapter!_**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

"I hope things aren't awkward between us." May said to Serena as they walked down the busy streets and entered a boutique just south of Prism Tower.  
"No, not at all. Ash explained everything very clearly. He only had good things to say about you." Serena smiled at her.

May blushed lightly while letting Serena and Bonnie walk past her. Once inside, they immediately began ruffling through racks of clothes near the front door. Her eyes wandered among the many dresses while her mind tried to explain exactly why she blushed at hearing Serena's words. Could there be a shred of truth in what she said? What he said contradicted what she told Drew earlier and made her slightly ashamed for badmouthing Ash.

"Excuse me, May..." She felt her dress being tugged and found the little blonde looking up at her.  
"Yeah, what is it, Bonnie?"  
"Are you happy with Drew?" She rocked on the balls of her feet, waiting for an answer with a wide grin.  
"Bonnie, you don't ask people questions like that!" Serena stepped in and gently pulled the little girl away.

May giggled at her bold questions and answered promptly. "Yes, I really am. Why do you ask?"  
"Because I see how happy Ash is with Serena and how Drew is with you, and I want my brother to feel the same." She frowned and looked down at the floor.

May felt a bit sad when she said that. It reminded her of Max and how happy he was when she and Ash announced their relationship, and then how upset he got when they broke up. Ash was like a big brother and it probably hurt him more than it did her. It appeared that Max and Bonnie shared the same love for their siblings.

"I'm sure your brother will find a very beautiful girl soon." May assured her.  
"She's right. A lot of girls like smart guys and Clemont is a genius." Serena added to cheer the little girl up.  
Bonnie only nodded and smiled shortly. "I really hope he does."

They continued shopping for different outfits for the next hour or two. While doing so, Serena asked May what it was like to be in Pokémon Contests and what her training regimen was. She responded with honest answers and not the ones that were often written for her during interviews.

"I lost my first Contest Battle to Drew because I was inexperienced. I didn't know how to battle that much and it affected my performance. What do you think of this one?" She pulled out a pink and black strapless dress and showed it to Serena.  
"It's cute. I like the little heart at the center."  
"I know, right? Well, anyways, I cried afterwards and promised my Pokémon I'd get better. I felt like I let them down because I was so nervous but you learn from those losses. We kept practicing and practicing whenever we had the time and I won my next Contest." She folded the dress over her forearm and moved along to another rack.

Serena sifted through the abundance of colorful dresses and picked out a few to try on. "How did you get better at battling?"  
"I learned everything by watching Ash. He just never gives up, you know, and I wanted my Pokémon to have that same attitude with our Contest." May lowered her gaze at the memories of her travels through Hoenn and smiled fondly. They were more like dreams now, or nightmares depending on her mood, that crept in on certain nights and prevented her sleeping soundly. She shook her head and continued searching for clothes. Those thoughts had to stop or else they'd cause an endless amount of trouble for everyone.

After trying on the clothes they each picked out, and looking for shoes that matched, they purchased their items and headed to an ice cream parlor down the road. May was expecting the day to be more uncomfortable given her involvement with Ash, but her worries were all for naught. His girlfriend was the nicest person she had the pleasure of meeting. He always picked the friendliest people to be around.

The trio sat licking their cones out in the patio of the shop, chatting away like girlfriends do. Every once in a while she caught people staring and pointing at her, but luckily no one came up and disturbed her. She was enjoying the sights and sounds of Lumiose and didn't need crowds of fans groveling over her. The same went for photographers capturing her every move. She could take a bite out of the waffle cone and not have it misconstrued as an eating disorder in the tabloids the next day.

"Bonnie, don't eat it so fast or you'll-"  
"Ooww!"  
"Get a brain freeze.."

May turned to see the little blonde squeeze her eyes shut and placing her head on the table. She couldn't hold her laugh and made Serena giggle as well at Bonnie's hilarious predicament. No misunderstandings or shortage of fun. She couldn't ask for a better vacation.

* * *

Everything in his field of vision was a vivid red, from the furniture to the walls. The elegant wooden base of the walls was the only thing that stood out. He looked around and saw a few people sitting at the bar having a drink. A group of friends sat in a lounge area by the front window and ate some snacks while talking amongst themselves.

The café gave off an eerie vibe, and he would've dismissed dropping by were it not for a recommendation from the concierge of their hotel. He took a seat near the wall, facing the bar, and waited to be tended to by a waitress. Meeting May for drinks before their dinner reservations was starting to feel like a bad idea. He couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, but he scanned the room and didn't see anything that stood out.

'_Maybe it won't be so bad_,' he thought to himself. The place did appear relatively clean, even a bit romantic with all the red and candlelights hanging around the building. To think just a few hours ago he had a huge argument with May, and now they were back on good terms once again. It was definitely a gift only she could possess that cured all his anger with one look into her sapphire eyes.

It wasn't that he didn't trust May. He just didn't trust her ex being around and trying to jeopardize his relationship. Not that he thought Ash would try such a thing, especially with Serena around.

"Excuse me, is this seat taken?"

His attention turned to the tall man in a black suit and extravagant hair standing before him and smiling.

"I'm actually meeting someone."  
"Oh, this won't take long." The strange man ignored his remark and plopped down in front of him. "My name's Lysandre, the owner of this cafe." He placed his large hands together on the table and continued to smile.

"Nice to meet you. My name's-"

"Drew, one of Hoenn's top Coordinators and past winner of the Grand Festival. Yes, I know who you are." Lysandre interrupted but kept up his cheery posture that was starting to make him uncomfortable. His eyes darted back and forth between the door and Lysandre and he wondered why May was taking so long to show up.

"You know, Drew, I am a big admirer of your talents. Especially the way your Pokémon stand out during Contests. It is very entertaining, and very beautiful, to see the intimacy between Trainer and Pokémon. I can't stand the thought of the world becoming uglier. I dream of a world where there is no selfishness, no greed."

Drew found the conversation unusual and wasn't sure how to respond, but Lysandre kept on talking.

"You see, people can be divided into two groups. Those who give...and those who take. It's just as how the Kalos region's two Legendary Pokémon gave life and took life."

"Is there a point to this? I'm waiting on someone and she should be here in a few minutes." Drew looked impatiently at his wristwatch in an attempt to get Lysandre to leave him alone.

Lysandre chuckled under his breath and slightly bowed his head. "I want to be a person who gives...but some foolish humans would rather show their strength by taking what isn't theirs. There will be no foolish actions if the number of people and Pokémon do not increase."

With May running late and Lysandre's incoherent babbling, Drew was quickly becoming restless. His fingers tapped impatiently on the rosewood surface, breathing became slightly erratic. He couldn't take another word that came out of his delirious mouth. Yet, Lysandre kept speaking gibberish, but appeared to finally reach a conclusion.

"That being said, the future isn't decided. You can't be sure each day will be like the one before. I'm sorry for keeping you." Lysandre stood up, adjusted his black coat, and pushed in the chair. "Please accept these drinks as my gratitude for listening. It was a pleasure meeting you, Drew." He snapped his long fingers and a waitress in a vibrant red suit and dark sunglasses came in shortly and placed two cups of a foggy liquid on the table.

"Our specialty, on the house. Thank you for visiting Flare Café." The waitress bowed and retreated back to Lysandre's side. He grinned and walked towards the backroom and out of view.

Drew exhaled and closed his eyes momentarily to try and decipher what exactly Lysandre was going on about. A new world, beauty, the future, it all sounded like nonsense. That's the kind of talk you here from the homeless people in the alleys of Lumiose City, not from a sharp-dressed café owner.

That uneasiness made him apprehensive of the mysterious drink in front of him. He grabbed the cup and tilted it carefully to get a good look at its contents. The amber drink swirled around, as did the ice cubes, while he studied the liquid. He slowly brought it up to his nose and caught a whiff of berries and lemons.

"Iced Tea?" He said puzzled. He took a single sip and was perplexed even more. It tasted like regular iced tea available anywhere else. There had to be something else added to make it a specialty. Before he knew, he drank the rest in a few gulps and grabbed the other glass as well.

Drew looked at his watch again while drinking the remaining beverage and continued to wait for his girlfriend.

* * *

"Hey, Serena, where do you want to go eat?" Ash called out as he walked out the bathroom, drying his thick hair with one of the hotel's plush towels. "I'm starving after helping Clemont clean his Gym." He placed the damp towel around his neck and walked into their main suite and found Serena sitting on the bed brushing her hair.

"Whatever you want, Ash. It doesn't matter." She looked at him through the hanging mirror on the wall and gave him a smile that put him much more at ease.  
"Looks like you're in a better mood. Did you have fun today?" Taking a seat next to her, he wrapped an arm around her waist and smiled back.

Serena stopped brushing and turned to him. "May is such an interesting person and so much fun. Bonnie and I enjoyed spending the day with her. It's too bad she's leaving tomorrow." She grabbed a white bottle of lotion off the nightstand and proceeded to lather her legs under her robe with the cream.

Ash stared mindlessly as she did, going quiet as soon as she stopped speaking. "She's leaving tomorrow?" The sorrowful thoughts came rushing back into his head. Almost immediately did his mood change to one of grief. May was leaving without either of them speaking to each other. He didn't know when he'd get the chance to see her again and to express his remorse.

"She invited all of us for brunch before they do. And I said yes, so we're going."

"Really?" Remorse turned into panic just as quick. The constant change of emotions was doing more harm than good and confused the hell out of him even more. It didn't surprise him that May was the cause of it all. She was the first girl to show any kind of affection towards him and he felt the same way about her. But their relationship felt beyond repair, at least to him. He had no idea what was possibly going through her head.

"Yes '_really_'. Why is it hard for you to see her, Ash? She's still one of your friends, isn't she?" Serena shifted her leg underneath the other and turned to face him.

"Of course, but..." He couldn't look into those baby blues and tell her exactly what was on his mind, not yet. But he didn't want to keep being secretive with her. The lies will keep piling up and, eventually, end up destroying their trust.

"_But_...what?"

Her smile kept him sane. It would be unforgivable to hurt another girl because of his ineptitude with romances. Yet, he had to try to be honest; even if it was sprinkled with a bit of duplicity. "We haven't spoken in years, and she looks so different. I wouldn't know what to say."

She gripped his hand tenderly, soothing the treacherous images invading his mind. "It shouldn't be so difficult, Ash. She didn't have a problem telling us about your time in Hoenn."  
"She-she talked about me?" He stared at her in disbelief.  
"She spoke very fondly of you, Brock, and her brother. She nearly cried when Pikachu ran up to her." She drew circles with her thumb on his palm, looked over his shoulder at the little yellow mouse resting on their pillows, and rested her chin by his ear.

Ash stared at the navy carpet of the room. After moving on to Sinnoh and burning several bridges of his past, never did he think May would remember him other than the man who broke her heart. To hear Serena say that she thought back on their time together with great regard, gave him a sense of relief he desperately needed. Maybe then could he rid himself of the burden of guilt that's been plaguing his conscience for years.

"It'll be okay. I'll be right there with you." She breathed into his ear, sending calming chills and making him beam at the remarkable woman at his side.  
He hugged her tight and kissed her rosy cheek. "Thank you."

Serena continued to recline against him, softly breathing into the crook of his shoulder and neck. He was blessed to have such an understanding and compassionate girlfriend. With her help he was finally getting past the mental block that kept rearing its ugly head at the most peaceful times. He sighed contently and just embraced the loving girl in his arms for as long as he could.

_Gruuumble_..._Gruuumble_...

Serena raised her head and broke into a fit of giggles that rang through his ears and caused him to join in. He buried his face against her golden brown hair to stifle the laughs that ruined the moment. Her fingers curled around the nape of his neck and gently pulled him away and bent his head back. She shifted her position and was now nestled firmly on his lap. Luminous blue eyes met his and soon disappeared as heavenly lips found their way onto his. An explosion of total peace and serenity overwhelmed them both, capturing what their relationship symbolized.

"You're everything I could've ever asked for, Serena." His fingers felt the soft cotton of the robe covering her waist as he lost himself in her wondrous eyes and sincere smile hovering over him. Time and time again he found himself feeling guilty for being dishonest with her. She deserved better than a man who was immature at times and tight-lipped about his thoughts.

One thing was for sure, he was glad to have Serena in his life. He kissed her again, quickly this time because hunger was starting to overtake him.

"How about we go to a restaurant tonight? You can wear that new dress you bought."  
Serena jumped off the bed and picked up a red bag out of many that were next to the mirror, holding it close to her body. "It's a surprise."  
She walked past him towards the bathroom, stopping at the open door only to undo the sash of her robe and letting it fall behind her as she closed the door.

Ash grinned to himself and started to get ready as well. Dropping the towel on the bed, he went over to the dresser and rummaged through the drawers for his clothes. "It's not like I haven't seen it all before." He said loud enough for Serena to hear.

He dressed in a hurry and relaxed on the bed watching television while Serena finished up. It would take at least a half hour until she stepped out, delaying his appetite that kept getting stronger each minute that passed. Flipping channels didn't help with all the fast food commercials in between shows. He switched off the television, instead opting to rest his eyes from a long day at Clemont's Gym and to think of the days ahead of him. It was already planned to meet with May and Drew. What was left was to figure out what he was going to say to her. A rehearsed apology wouldn't suffice. It'd be like parents making their child apologize for doing something wrong. It wouldn't sound genuine.

A loud knock at the door caused him to jerk up and forget about his dilemma for the moment. "I got it." He alerted Serena as he approached the door. He wondered who could be knocking at this time of night. The time was nearing eight o'clock, way late for either Bonnie or Clemont to be checking up on them. It couldn't be the hotel maid or any of the attendants without a call first. Whoever it was he had to be cautious of.

He turned the handle, opening the door marginally to get a good look of the visitor. A girl with curled honey brown locks reaching past her bare shoulders. She had her back to him but could see her beautiful figure in a sleek, black strapless dress. Her arm was raised up around her face. She appeared to be holding back her cries yet he heard the noticeable sound of her whimpers. Only when she turned around did he realize the girl standing before was the one person he could never forget.

"May..."

"Ash...please...help me..."


	6. Chapter 6

**I'd like to start of by thanking you guys for reading and reviewing the last chapter. It honestly means a lot knowing that you enjoy the story and I get so excited seeing the views and comments going up. Okay, now for some story notes. Italics are now used to describe flashbacks, can't believe I forgot to say that at the very beginning. Thank you to _ASD Pokemon Fan _for bringing it to my attention. Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

**Chapter 6**

_As the night wore on the moon slowly moved across the dark sky. Full and bright as the morning sun, the light reflected through the window over the wooden headboard and just reached the foot of the bed. A clear view of their bedroom, painted a dull blue by the stars outside. A gentle breeze swayed the white curtains outward and then back. The cool wind forces her to seek warmth in the strong arms of her partner. She rests her sleepy head in the small gap between his arm and chest, listening to his thumping heartbeat. Soothing, melodic._

_He twirls the ends of her hair around his fingers, bringing a smile to her hidden face. It's peaceful, quiet with only the sounds of their breathing filling the entire room. She doesn't have to worry about her upcoming Contest or wonder if he's happy putting his dream on hold for her. What mattered most to her was that he was here, with her, supporting and being a part of her life. All was right with the world when it was just the two of them together._

_He drapes a heavy arm around her and pulls her closer. The warmness emanating from his body spreads to her, like a small ember lighting up a pit. The heat intensifies and makes her detach from him. Her weary eyes fall on a haunting sight. A small strip of fire runs down his face, erasing what noticeable features he had. She's paralyzed, unable to escape the flames quickly spreading throughout his body and to her. Fear makes the tears fall freely and they evaporate upon meeting with the fire. _

_A burst of wind sweeps away the remains of dust and ash. She can't scream or call out his name one last time. The blaze travels up the sheets, beginning with her toes and burning her body little by little. _

_She falls back and shuts her eyes. "At least I'll be with you..." A feeling of relief overcomes the sadness and brings a sense of peace. __It's a twisted thought, she knows, but things just wouldn't be the same if he was taken away. __She'd rather be with him for eternity than live a day without him._

_Blood red consumes the room. She lies in wait for her turn. __The crackling of embers extends past the bed and reaches the ceiling. _

_"__**May! May!**__"_

_That voice, a memorable voice that soothes her qualms, rises above everything and causes her to slowly open her eyes._

_Darkness and a familiar blue hue greet her as she catches a familiar shadow hovering over her. She moves her eyes from side to side for any signs of the inferno from before, but all she finds is utter silence from Mother Nature._

_"You're burning up." He says quietly while placing a cool hand to her forehead. Pleasant and alleviating, his caresses are a welcoming change from the nightmare she went through.  
"I'll get you a cold towel and some water." He shuffles his legs from underneath the covers and over the bed. She weakly grabs hold of his arm to stop him.  
"I'll be fine." She gently tugs on his shirt and lures him back to bed. Once settled in, she curls herself in his arms once again. "As long as you're here, Ash."_

_His hand rubs circles on her back tenderly. "I'll always be here, May." He says quietly and plants a soft kiss on the top of her head. "Whenever you need me."_

* * *

"May..."

His voice was distant, though he was staring directly at her while Serena sat next to her on their bed. She rubbed her bare shoulders comfortingly with no opposition from May. Her vision was clouded by the amount of tears shed since arriving at the front door of their hotel room. She had nowhere else to go, no one to turn to in a strange city. The police were of no help and her publicist wasn't answering her calls. Only one person came to mind and she knew he wouldn't turn her away.

"Tell us exactly what happened." Serena said to her. Ash reclined on a mahogany dresser in front of them by the bathroom. He folded his arms and waited for the answer she didn't want to repeat.

"Drew...he..he disappeared." May raised a hand to her mouth to compose herself. "We had an argument in the restaurant and..and he just left." From there she tried her best to fill in the details in between her sobs. It wasn't like Drew to curse and yell at her for no reason. The staff had to escort them out of the building for causing such a loud disruption. People stared and whispered to each other as they walked out of the building. It was embarrassing and out of character for either of them to cause a scene in public. Afterwards he wandered away without an explanation and she went back to their room to wait.

"I just went to our room and waited for him to come back."

Serena signaled Ash for the tissue box placed next to him. She handed May a single paper and waited for her to continue.

"I don't know what went wrong." She dabbed the corners of her eyes. "We never yelled at each other before." Something about his demeanor felt off but she couldn't tell what it was. He was smiling and affectionate just a few hours before they met up at the restaurant.

"Have you gone to Officer Jenny for help?" Ash asked.

She shook her head in response. "No, I thought he'd be back before nightfall." She didn't know what came over him. He was more aggressive, relentless with the vile words he spewed. She was open about her past with Ash but he went on and attacked it from a different angle that she couldn't respond well to. Heart or mind, one of those went on the defensive and protected the other from suffering new damage from old wounds. It wasn't him that said those words. She refused to believe he would deliberately hurt her.

"Please, Ash, can you help me find him?" She pleaded to one of her closest friends. Despite their previous relationship, she still considered him the most trustworthy person in her life. He was known to help everyone who asked and put his life at risk continuously to make sure they came out safe. But seeing as she was asking him to find Drew, a person he loathed and made no secrets about it, she had to hope he'd say yes.

Ash sighed and dropped his head. "Lumiose City is a big place. Where do we even start to look?"

May could feel a new wave of tears waiting in reserve. What he said was true. Drew could be anywhere in the city and the dark didn't make the situation any better.

"It'll be okay, May. We'll just retrace his steps." Serena's calming voice put her more at ease. It was almost as if she could tell what she was going through. Her kind words were a much appreciated sentiment she wouldn't expect from her ex's current girlfriend.

"She's right. We'll find him in no time." Ash chimed in, flashing his trademark smile that reassured her he was the right person to help.

May wiped away the remaining tears and chuckled. "Thank you, Ash and Serena. I guess we can start at the cafe. He was waiting for me outside before we went to the restaurant."

"Lead the way."

* * *

The nightlife of Lumiose City was in full swing once they stepped out of their hotel. Bright and luminous, the streets were filled with street acts and musicians performing for the hundreds of people walking around the plaza. It was a shame her night had to be searching for Drew, otherwise they'd be roaming the streets and enjoying themselves like the rest. Bigger problems were at hand, though, and needed her attention more than the festivities.

May walked briskly towards the tower with Ash and Serena keeping pace. They said nothing on the way there and only stopped a few times to gather their bearings. There were many alleys and connecting streets that it was easy to get lost. She knew it was just south of Prism Tower, sitting on a corner of two intersecting streets. The crowds grew bigger as they approached a large sign overhead reading: Magenta Plaza. Most of the traffic was geared to the Pokémon Center and Prism Tower in the distance. Off to their right was a small red building with barely visible lights on. They fought through the group of people, making sure not to be separated, and arrived at the entrance.

There was doubt the cafe was still open late this night. Regardless, it was a good spot to search for clues of Drew's whereabouts. The blinds were drawn on the windows; a single light was still on by the wooden door. Ash took the lead and tried the door.

"Ladies first." He held the door open for both she and Serena, and as they walked in, they felt a bit of uneasiness from their surroundings. Everything was a dull maroon color with the poor lighting from the candles hanging on the wall. It felt like being in an abandoned house, but without the dust and cobwebs on the furniture. There wasn't a sign of people being in the building and she wondered if they would find any answers in such a depressing place.

"You guys try to find somebody who might have seen Drew. I'll take a look outside the building." Ash said to them and they nodded in agreement.

She and Serena each looked in opposite ends of the cafe once Ash took off, but came up empty and met up at the bar. Resting her elbows on the wooden surface, she supported her head and sniffled. Hope was draining from her body fast. It was coming up on four hours since his disappearance and there wasn't any proof he was coming back anytime soon.

"Sorry for the wait. I'm afraid we've stopped serving food for the evening. We'll be closing soon."

She didn't raise her head at the sound of another's voice.

"Can I get you anything to drink?"

"Water's fine, thank you." Serena answered for both of them. The waitress went to work behind the counter. Clank of glass and the whirring of the ice machine, followed by the steady stream of fresh water being poured, May kept her head down for all of it. She was in an unfamiliar situation that was draining her energy and testing her patience.

"Here you go. Anything else I can get you?" The waitress placed the glass in front of her.  
"Actually, we were hoping you could help us. A friend of ours was in here earlier. We were wondering if he maybe came by again." Serena was surely the calm one of both of them. May was at her wits end, on the verge of pulling her hair out.

"You're gonna have to be more specific. We have hundreds of customers in and out each day."  
"He has green hair. He had on a black blazer and a white button up shirt." May replied bluntly, trying hard not to let anger take the place of sadness. Once that happened, she wouldn't be able to concentrate on anything else but lashing out.  
"No, can't say I've seen him. Sorry."

She slammed her hand on the counter, causing both the waitress and Serena to jump in surprise. "He was here! He came out of the building and met me outside! Don't say he wasn't here because he sure as hell was!" She caught sight of herself in the waitress' sunglasses, burning tears stinging her cheeks and tainted red eyes fogging her vision. She was beyond angry, beyond reason. Fed up with the lack of answers from the waitress and general avoidance by Drew. The celebratory day of her anniversary had turned to a living nightmare.

May tore herself away from the bar and headed to the exit before she did something worse. The crowds outside were dispersing with only a few still walking the streets. She stood under the stone archway covered in vines and looked around once more, wishing Drew would appear out of thin air and comfort her like only he could. But multiple glances to either side of the street and not one person resembled him. She stepped out to the curb, slumped down on the concrete, and wept like she did since leaving her hotel in search of help.

Helpless wouldn't begin to describe her current frame of mind. Anger, sorrow, heartache, a flurry of emotions waged war within her. She huddled her knees together and hid her face from the people walking around. Dealing with it all was taxing, both mentally and emotionally. She just wanted to head home and put this ordeal behind her.

"May, are you okay?"

Reluctantly, she raised her head at the notable voice questioning her. She met his sincere gaze and shook her head. "I don't know what to do, Ash."

He sunk down next to her and unexpectedly put an arm around her. She instinctively placed her head on his shoulder and continued to cry. For the longest time he was the only one she would go to when she was feeling down. He knew exactly what to say to make her smile and never appeared tired of being her rock. After years apart, and a nasty period of depression, it seemed that little habit was still as relevant as ever.

Yet, this time around it felt different. Maybe it was the firmness of his body, much different than when they were younger, or the fact that they were separated and dating other people. He wasn't doing the small things that soothed her whenever she was in his arms, like running his fingers through her hair or whispering in her ear. The sentiment wasn't distant nor too affectionate. It felt friendlier than those other times.

The moment was short lived as the door behind them swung open and out stepped Serena.

"I got a little more out of her. Drew was here and talked with the owner for a while." Serena said as she and Ash stood up to face her. She wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand, grateful for the news but doubted the new information provided clues to where Drew was. Her suspicions were made true when Serena added, "After that, he left the shop and that was the last she saw of him."

"I asked around and didn't get anywhere, either. It doesn't help that it's close to midnight already." Ash rubbed the back of his neck and stared at the road.

May was starting to succumb to exhaustion. Her eyes were swollen from all the crying, her stomach lurched constantly from grief and starvation. To top it all off, she was positive she'd miss out on sleep for the night. She lazily roamed away from Ash and Serena while they talked amongst themselves, thinking about her next move. She had to check out of their hotel room by noon. They'd miss their flight if Drew wasn't found by the afternoon. So much she had to worry about that completely went over her head the past few hours.

Ash and Serena caught up with her and laid out a plan. "We should pick it up again in the morning. Hopefully it'll be easier to search with the sun out."  
"Thank you so much for helping me. I'm sorry for being such a bother to you guys." Her voice cracked as she swiped at the fresh round of tears.  
"Don't worry about it. This is more important and we will find him." Ash smiled at her which made her slip a choked laugh past her cries. Serena grabbed a firm hold of her hand and led her to the Pokémon Center across the way, lined with a bunch of taxis at the entrance.

After giving the instructions to the driver, the three Trainers piled in to the midsize taxi and sat in silence for the short trip to Ash and Serena's hotel. May watched the blurry flash of the streetlights passing by with the faded buildings in the backdrop. They came to a stop about a minute later. She stayed inside and waited for the car to keep driving after they had gotten out, but the car sat idle while Ash kissed Serena and she went inside as Ash came back to the taxi.

"Aren't you going with Serena?" She asked once the car started moving again.  
"She's gonna go with Clemont and Bonnie to Officer Jenny in the morning to see if the police can get involved."  
"Then why are you with me?"  
"I thought you might need a friend for the night."

Even in the dark cab, with only the streetlights speeding by, she could see the sympathetic gaze he shot her way. She looked away out the window. Her face became increasingly warmer and was thankful for the darkness the taxi provided. But why was she blushing at a simple look? She had seen it many times before and it brought a sense of comfort, but that was years ago. She hardly ever thought about it and yet it still had the same effect. Her worries were forgotten for the moment as she settled in and waited for the ride to come to an end. Closing her eyes for a second was a mistake. She kept dozing off but was prevented from falling fully asleep by the rocking cabin and frequent stops.

The cab arrived at her hotel a little while later. Ash paid the driver and exited the same time as May. She walked on ahead to the clear glass doors, pushing them open and walking to the elevator next to the concierge's station.

As they got in and pushed the button to her floor, the ride up was just as quiet as the ride over. She hugged herself and stared at the marble floor, questioning his decision to accompany her. It felt wrong seeing as Serena was left alone while Ash was here. She already interrupted their plans and now kept them apart.

"You don't have to do this, Ash..." She found herself saying once they stepped out the metal box and walked to her room just a few steps away.  
"No, but what kind of friend would I be if I left you crying the entire night."

May paused with her keycard in hand, hesitant to let him in. Serena was gracious enough to help and was a great person to hang out with. She didn't want to get in between their relationship, but he was right. She needed somebody to talk to and he was willing to help. The door lock beeped and turned the red light to green. Turning the handle, she held her breath and led him inside, knowing full well she would look back at her actions and come to regret them.


	7. Chapter 7

**Didn't expect to take this long to post this. Been super busy with other projects and work. Enjoy this little filler chapter! After this, things will start moving and getting a lot more serious. Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

"I'm not really hungry, Ash."

He didn't fight her even though he knew she was starving. May sat with her feet up on the living chair by the window, staring at the nothingness of night. Placing the white carton of rice and noodles on her coffee table, he picked up his own plate and began eating. He took big bites of the late night food while walking towards the window.

"You know, this isn't that bad for takeout. The rice is perfectly seasoned." He tried making small talk but she was off in her own world, worried and shutting everything around her out. The outline of her face showed off the woe and harm Drew's disappearance was causing her. Not once did he see this side of her when they were together. Sure she had bouts of nervousness, but she'd always pull through; more often than not, without his help.

Seeing her like this, though, shook him inside a little. She was exuberant. She oozed confidence. None of it broke through the wave of depression that had befallen her. It was a terrifying notion being unable to help a dear friend in need. He finished the last of his food, set it aside, and leaned against the window with his arms crossed. The gleaming lights of the stars and buildings took away from the depressive atmosphere in the room. What could he say to cheer her up? Any words he told her wouldn't be able to get through; wouldn't even make a dent in the wall she put up.

"That wasn't the Drew...He's not the same person.." She quietly said to him.

"_Neither are you_..." He muttered under his breath. Running a single hand through his thick hair, he lowered his arms and walked over to the second chair next to her. "What makes you say that?"

Without looking at him, she started listing the things she noticed about their confrontation early in the evening. "He kept tapping his finger on the table and kept looking around a lot, like he was expecting something or someone to come inside the restaurant." Her hands ran up the sides of her shoulders as she sank deeper into the beige chair, sighing into the dim night. "His eyes looked so foggy. It's like he wasn't even fully there." Once again she stared off into space, sniffling and turning away to hide her tears.

Ash listened intently and tried to piece the information she gave together. None of it made much sense without proper context. According to May, he was fine before they left the hotel. It was only after meeting at the restaurant that things became muddy. What could've happened in between that time apart?

_Foggy eyes...tapping fingers..._

Rubbing his forehead only exasperated his tiredness from cleaning Clemont's Gym earlier. There just wasn't enough relevant information to come to a conclusion, only wild speculations that held no merit whatsoever. "Could've it been some sort of drug he took?"

May snapped away from her own mind and looked at him, puzzled at first but then contemplative. "He only has painkillers for his lower back. He didn't bring them on this trip, though. He said he was feeling better and didn't need them anymore." She plopped her head back against the headrest and faced the ceiling.

"Care to tell me why he needed them?"

Slowly, she rolled her head to the side and again looked at him skeptically. "What are you trying to do, Ash?"  
"Trying to distract you." He leaned back into the chair and brought his hands to the armrests. "Remember, we used to talk all night and it calmed us down."  
"That was a long time ago, Ash. Things have changed so much." She brushed her long hair back with her fingers and closed her eyes.  
"All the more reason for us to catch up."

His aloof response was met with even more skepticism from her sapphire eyes, yet she reluctantly sighed and spoke. "We were on a trip through Sinnoh, right after his win at the Johto Grand Festival. He thought it'd be fun to hitch a ride on a Mamoswine on our way to Snowpointe City." She reached for the white carton of food on the coffee table while continuing her story. "Everything was going fine until a group of Sneasel decided to jump out from the bushes and dart in front of our Mamoswine."

"And that made him fall?" He asked as she bit into the pieces of meat with great fortitude. He wasn't surprised in the least to see her feast on the meal. She hadn't eaten anything the entire day except for a few snacks from what Serena told him. And like him, she enjoyed eating a home cooked dinner but their skills in the kitchen were abysmal. Who knows if she improved but one thing was for sure, neither of them could cook like Brock.

"Yup. He was sitting behind me and couldn't brace himself when Mamoswine bucked up." She sipped water from a bottle in between chewing pieces of her food and saying words. "He landed flat on his back on a small pile of rocks."

"Rocks? I thought you were riding through snow?"

"We were still by the entrance when it happened. So, yeah, not a good way to start the trip." For the first time that night he saw the smile of the old May.

He chuckled right along and from there on they conversed on the numerous adventures each of them had. May evolved her Eevee to a Glaceon on the very same trip, as well as a few of her other Pokémon along the way. Not once did he sense misery about their uncoupling in her words. She mentioned all the great restaurants and various landmarks around the world she had visited on her travels joyfully, almost like she had forgotten the past few hours.

For his part, Ash begrudgingly told her about his tough losses in the Sinnoh and Unova Leagues, his encounters with a bunch of important figures, and meeting all kinds of new people and Pokémon throughout. He avoided telling her of the dark, depressive state he went through the first few months on his journey through Sinnoh. He even contemplated returning home because he was losing sleep for numerous days and just wasn't giving it his all in the few battles he had. Each battle was won by the skin of his teeth and gave him the confidence to keep going. If not for himself than for his Pokémon. They were the ones that truly battled their hearts out while he regained his old form.

It took almost a year to really move on and by then he had won six Sinnoh badges and was no longer traveling alone. Those thoughts ran in the background as he kept on smiling and laughing along with her, trying so hard to keep the mood light and free of drama. His plan was working, though. They acted like old friends because that's exactly what they were. He had no interest in sparking a romance that had died down years ago. All she was to him was a dear friend that he regretted losing touch with. The night didn't make up for all those years, but it felt nice to reconnect.

Their little conversation went on for a few hours more as they continued to swap stories about family members and old faces they came across years ago. Soon, they were both leaning towards sleep. May stayed curled in a ball, head leaning on her knee and the comfortable support of the chair. He supported his head with help from the armrest, legs crossed and peering over to see if she had fallen asleep. He couldn't see much with little to no visibility in the dead of night.

"Hey, how did you and Serena meet?"

Her question caught him by surprise and immediately washed away any tiredness left in his body. He perked up from his slump, cleared his throat, and thought of a good way to phrase his response.

"We..we actually met when we were little kids in Professor Oak's camp. I didn't recognize her at first when we met here in Kalos. She saw me on television and sought me out." He scratched his chin and avoided looking at her directly. Although, the dark did help in that regard,

"Do you mean when you were on top of Prism Tower?"  
"You saw that?"  
"Everyone did, Ash. It was a huge news event. My parents even called your mother to see how she was doing."  
Her remark surprised him quite a bit. Along with losing touch with May, he also lost contact with Norman and Caroline. It was a shame since they were the first to approve of their relationship and encouraged their journey together. After it ended they were extremely disappointed and that stung the most. He respected Norman and Caroline was like a second mother whenever he visited them in Rustboro. He wouldn't have guessed they would check up on him after all the years that passed.

"Personally, I'm not surprised. It's totally like you to risk your life for a Pokémon in danger." May continued, stretching out her legs and withdrawing them back to her body.  
"Yeah, well, we started talking, she joined our group, and things went on from there." He hoped to end the conversation sooner rather than later without going into much detail.  
"I can tell she really likes you."  
"She's great. Every day with her is just another fun adventure." A smile came to his face at the moments he and Serena shared. There weren't many but the few days they had to each other were very special. "The last time I was this happy with someone was...well..with you." The words were automatic. He trailed off towards the end, getting really quiet at the realization of what he just said.

"Oh...that's...that's nice to hear.." She went dead silent just as he did and didn't bother to hide the astonishment in her voice.

Uncomfortable tension arose from simple words and completely changed the atmosphere in the room. He couldn't take it back and somehow he was glad of that fact, but maybe it wasn't the appropriate time to admit it. He quickly tried to explain himself before things got out of hand.

"What I meant by that..is..I mean.." He was a whiz in battles at overcoming a mental block but off the field was another story. No matter how hard he tried, a good explanation was near impossible to find.  
"It's okay, Ash. It's great to hear you two are very happy. She's a lucky girl."  
"Uh, thanks, I guess."  
"Clueless as ever." She giggled and stretched once more.

He took this opportunity to redirect their attention back to sleep and the renewed search in the morning. "I think we need to turn in for the night. Don't want to be too tired when we find Drew."

She stood up from her curled position on the chair and navigated through the dark room to her bed. Ash yawned and stretched his tired body before making himself comfortable again. His eyes shut almost instantly and he felt himself slipping away. The feeling went away once he heard May speak from behind him.

"Thank you for being here, Ash. It means a lot."

He sat up and looked over the chair to see her sitting on edge of her bed, pale moonlight giving her a rather subdued glow. For some reason, seeing her in that state was oddly alluring.

His mind conjured up a treasured memory of when they were kids. He was suddenly surrounded by a number of trees and a beautiful lake gently flowing with the wind. Sitting at the edge of the water was a young girl looking at the magnificent stars above, only breaking away to acknowledge his presence. Her radiant smile greeted him as he moved closer. The serenity of nature paled in comparison to the mesmerizing sapphire eyes that captured the feelings of love, peace, and happiness.

Reality had a way of hitting harder each time he escaped his own thoughts. For a split second he forgot where he was and what he was doing. The silhouette of a much older woman than the one he just saw came into view and he swallowed hard.

"No, yeah, it was good talking with you again." He managed to get out. His head and chest began pounding. He felt disoriented and wasn't sure what caused it. For now he chalked it up as sleep deprivation.

May scooted up into the bed and settled in. "Okay..good night, Ash."

"Good night..." He said before gingerly turning around and staring at the wooden surface of the coffee table. He was panicking at his own thoughts and feelings, unsure of what to make of the whirlwind of emotions. On one hand he was glad to talk to May again. On the other he felt bad leaving Serena alone and having these recurring thoughts of his past relationship.

Leaning forward, Ash rubbed his tired eyes and heaved an enormous sigh. He often thought of himself as being more aware of his emotions than before but apparently there was still a giant hurdle he needed to get over. Whatever the case, it was important to keep his conscience in check to avoid any sort of conflict.

He sunk back in the chair and closed his eyes once again. Through the silence, he heard the lowly breath of May sleeping and found comfort in knowing she was out for the night. Hopefully they'll find Drew and things could go back to normal. He'd go back on his journey and put these persistent sentiments to rest. There was no telling, though, what morning would bring.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Deep sleep was quite the hassle to achieve. Every once in a while he'd jerk up and see shadows in different places than they were moments ago. Hazy lights flashed in and out of the room from the surrounding buildings. He would rearrange his body and get a few minutes of shut eye only to have his body aching and waking him. The room would get drearier each time thanks to the rolling gray clouds drifting across the skyline.

By morning the rain came and trickled down the large windows. He sat with legs resting on the coffee table and arms behind his head, watching the city being cleansed by the little droplets of water. Along with the calming pings of rain, he could hear the muffled snoring of a certain friend from behind his chair. He thought it comforting that her mannerisms remained the same and wondered if she thought the same of him. There were many things he did differently now that he was Serena but then again he wasn't very aware of his behavior to notice anything odd. His friends were usually the ones to comment and bring attention to his actions. It was all positive for the most part, but every now and then he'd do something foolish and would be called out on it.

Once he was fully awake, he began thinking spending the night was one of those foolish things he would be scolded on. It wasn't so much the talking they did, but more of the single flashback that ran through his mind afterwards. He couldn't put it into words, yet it brought back the feeling of love he had for her during that time. That in turn brought guilt when thinking of his current status with Serena and how he left her alone with Pikachu for the night. He justified his actions by repeating the same statement of being there for a friend, but maybe it wasn't just that that led him to accompany May. Maybe...

"Ash, are you awake?"

He closed his eyes and drew in a huge breath. Lowering his feet, he raised his arms overhead and stretched his back out. The chair was comfortable to sit in, not so much for sleeping. His back and shoulders ached a bit, though that was most likely caused by the labor of cleaning the Gym. On a different day he'd sleep through the entire morning and be refreshed for the entire day.

He twisted around and met her sleepy gaze with a smile. "Morning, May. Feeling better?"  
"Yeah, I really needed some rest. Did it just start raining?"  
"No, it's been at least a few hours." Ash stood up and arched his back to loosen the tight muscles. The curled position he slept in did a number on his exhausted body. "I'm guessing it'll last all morning."

"Oh. When is Serena coming by?" She mimicked his actions and extended her legs outward.  
"She's stopping by Clemont and Bonnie's first. Which reminds me, I have to call her." He finished by yawning and scratching the back of his head.  
"The phone's over by the television. I'm going to take a shower if you don't mind." She pointed to the dresser before standing up and reaching down under the bed for a duffle bag. Seconds later she disappeared into the bathroom with clothes in hand and left him to speak with Serena in private.

The phone began ringing as he paced around the room, hearing the tone on one end and the stream of showers on the other. A quick flash coming from outside the window distracted him momentarily. Strong gusts of wind came with swirling rain and loose papers flying around. The weather definitely would affect their search efforts.

_"Hello?"  
_"Good morning, sunshine. How'd you sleep?"_  
"Not so good. I missed you."  
_"Me too. My neck's a little stiff from sleeping on a chair." He paced back and forth in front of the enormous window grabbing and twisting his neck around. Her soft laugh made him smile and led him to continue their plans. He explained that the rain wouldn't slow down their search but may make it difficult to notice something if it really started to pour.

_"Where are we going to be looking so I can tell Clemont and Officer Jenny?"_

"I was thinking we'd search around the restaurant. It's the last place they were together, maybe we'll find something there." It was a long shot but maybe somebody saw where he went off to. There weren't many places to look so all they had where the last two places he was at.

With the rain slowly dying out he decided to step out on the terrace and get some fresh air. "Afterwards I thought we'd go back to the cafe and check the area again. There might be something we missed the first time around." He said as he closed the sliding door behind him.

There were a few stray drops but the air remained fresh and comfortable. He swept the seat of a wooden chair with his free hand, sat down, and breathed in the coolness the morning storm left behind.

"I have to tell you, you were absolutely right about talking with May. We spent most of the night catching up and it wasn't weird at all."_  
"Oh, that's nice. What did you guys talk about?"  
_"I'll tell you later when we have some more time. I'll be waiting in the lobby for you and the others."_  
"We'll be there in a bit. Looks like the rain stopped, it'll make things easier at least." _

They exchanged their goodbyes, after a lengthy back and forth of loving remarks, and Ash stood up and bent over the railing. From his position he could see the movements of colorful circular objects roaming the streets below. He was rarely up early to witness the peacefulness of the city, and when he was he wasn't able to enjoy it enough. There was always something important needing attention that kept him preoccupied. The only time he felt a sense of relaxation was waking up at a campsite in the wilderness and leaving to do some early training.

"Lumiose is a very beautiful city." May wandered out from inside and stood next to him admiring the landscape as well.

He nodded his head and kept staring out below. "It's definitely one of my favorite places so far."

They stood side by side by the railing, watching in silence as the people began their morning activities. Things didn't seem out of the ordinary as he looked at the streets and the other buildings. There wasn't much life inside the buildings, except for a few people moving about their business and oblivious to his prying. There was something he couldn't quite make out, though. He leaned a bit forward and squinted his eyes at a single red dot blinking through the window pane a building over. One would most likely miss it if they weren't paying close attention. But it was too far away to make a clear assumption of what the light could be.

"Ash," She cleared her throat and caused him to tear away from the red dot. "I'm sorry I ruined your plans last night. I'm guessing you and Serena had something special planned and instead you spent the night consoling me." A nervous laugh escaped her lips but he knew she was genuinely sorry.

"Don't worry about it." He smiled and waved away her apology. "It's like I said last night, I'm you're friend. I'll always be there when you need me." His honesty was rewarded with a shy smile he hadn't seen in ages. It was odd seeing her cheeks flushed and making her turn away to hide it.

She coughed into her hand before speaking. "Still, both of you were dressed nice and I feel like intruded on a special evening."  
"We were about to head out for dinner. She wanted to show off a new dress she bought on your shopping spree."  
"Well, the least I can do is offer to buy you breakfast. There's a great buffet in the lobby."  
He couldn't say no to free food, especially a buffet. After doing some more stretching and yawning, he gripped the phone in his hand and followed her inside and down to the lobby.

It was a good thing breakfast was complimentary because each of them went through four plates stacked with food and showed no signs of slowing down. Eggs and bacon, hotcakes smothered in syrup, and a small bowl of mixed fruit that they watered down with freshly squeezed orange juice. Before long, they became full and sat waiting for Serena and the others to show up. The busboy came by and cleared their table, looking surprised at the amount of plates sitting between the two of them. Ash and May could only share a slight chuckle as he walked away holding two stacks with a single while holding on to his tray.

"You weren't kidding about the food. It really hit the spot." Ash leaned back into the chair, stroking his unruly hair that failed to stay flat. He had left his hat back in his hotel room and now had to deal with clumps of hair sticking out at different ends. He hoped Serena brought his hat with her. He didn't feel the same without it.

May placed her elbows on the table and rested her chin against her palms, smiling but distracted all the same. She was supposed to depart in the afternoon and return to Hoenn but would most likely postpone her leave until they found Drew. He couldn't figure out what to say without sounding repetitive all the time. He kept telling her they'd find him, but the odds were against them. Two places they could look and one yielded zero clues other than Drew being seen once. It didn't look good, and yet he couldn't fail her. They had to find him.

"Ash! May!"

They both turned after hearing somebody calling out their names. A small group of people were walking briskly towards them, headed by Serena who held Pikachu in her arms and followed by his friends and Officer Jenny.

* * *

"Based on what you're friends have told me, we have a missing person on our hands. He hasn't called or tried to contact you in any way?" Officer Jenny sat down directly in front of her while the others pulled chairs up and crowded around Ash.

"Not since he stormed off from our table at the restaurant." May shook her head when questioned by Officer Jenny, gently stroking Pikachu's yellow fur to calm her down. Once Serena and the others reached their table, it jumped out of her arms and darted past him to May's lap. He laughed it off, slicking his hair back and putting his hat on that Serena brought with her. Pikachu cared about her probably more than he did and was trying its best to comfort her. So far, Pikachu was doing a far better job than he could ever do. May was still visibly upset but having her little friend close by provided some relief from her pain.

"I've sent other officers to search the area and others are on the lookout while on patrol. Hopefully one them will see him, but right now we don't have much to go on. Our best course of action right now is to have you stay in one spot if he does decide to make contact."

"With all due respect, I can't be sitting around doing nothing. I need to be out there looking for him." May handed off Pikachu to Ash and leaned forward with her head down.

Just by reading her body language, he knew she was on the verge of breaking down. She flicked a clump of loose hairs behind her ears before placing one on top of the other in front of her. Everyone at the table seemed to sense the tension arise as she stared down the Officer. No tears in her eyes this time; just pent up anger held in for at least the entire day and night before.

"I understand your frustration but–"

"No, I don't think you do." She interjected calmly, lowering her head and voice to the others and bringing her palms to her forehead. "Someone knows where he is. He wouldn't just leave without giving me a reason." Her voice remained composed but contained an annoyance of having people sympathize as if he was gone forever.

Ash wasn't surprised by her reaction to Officer Jenny's questions. He was fully aware of her passionate behavior that others would deem melodramatic in the wrong context. It rubbed some people the wrong way if they didn't know her personally, like he did. But something was way different. Before, she'd give a strong and fiery explanation to get her point across, and would often yell in some instances. It may not have been very practical, but it worked more often than not in changing the other person's opinion.

He saw none of that when she answered Officer Jenny, though. Her impassive responses showed how much control she attained over the years. This side of May was almost terrifying once thought about it. This new dimension to her personality was like a powder keg of rage that could explode at any moment, but her soothing demeanor hid it extremely well and one wouldn't know when it would go off. What he saw now was a completely different person than the one he grew up and fell in love with.

"We are doing our best with the information we received. Lumiose is an enormous city and there are many places he could be. Not to mention all the secret buildings in the alleyways that are unaccounted for." Officer Jenny, for her part, remained just as relaxed as May and handled it the best she could.

"I'm sorry, I-I would just like to be involved in the search. I'm really starting to fear the worst."

Ash couldn't stand by, either, while his friend was teetering on hysteria. He had to propose their plan and get the ball rolling. "Can we, as our own group, search some areas. I'm certain we'll cover more ground that way if we're all looking." They couldn't afford to sit around wasting time. It was sure to rain again and would make their efforts more difficult.

Officer Jenny stared at him, and back to May, tapping her fingers on the table in deep thought. When she finally spoke, she gave them a defeated smile. "Fine. I need to start getting progress reports from my officers. If you see or hear anything, give us a call and I'll send the nearest person available. Good luck to all of you."

Ash stood up and Pikachu immediately sprinted up his arm to rest on his shoulder. "Will do. Alright, are you guys ready?"

A full day hadn't passed yet but they were up against the clock. He believed Drew would come back soon, or at least try to get in touch with May. But enough time had passed to warrant a higher level of caution to the situation. Though he detested him, he knew Drew wouldn't abandon her in a strange land, having her worry all through the night. There had to be a good reason he wasn't showing up and they couldn't give up without finding the answer.

* * *

"Do you see? Do you now see the truth in what I have told you?"

He held the small screen in his trembling hands, breathing heavily at the vision unfolding before his eyes. He wanted to toss the device against the brick wall and forget he ever saw it. Her smile and laughter kept replaying in his head and it drove him mad. Not so much by her gleeful expression, but by the fact that she was with _him. _

"You knew he'd be here. She definitely knew he'd be here. Their history is one I do not know well, but judging by her expression, I can tell their feelings are very deep."

He listened closely to the words the man spoke to him. Deep down in the recesses of his mind, he knew the man was right. All these years he was lying to himself, saying she moved on and there was nothing to worry about. For the longest time he believed it and was happy to have her at his side. But seeing her touching his arm, grinning at whatever stupid remark he made, it all started to make sense. She was never completely over him.

Placing the video device on the table, he balled his hands into fist and struck the wooden surface hard, making an empty glass shake with the force of the impact. Years together and it appeared to be a waste. She still wanted him but had to settle for second place. The thought alone was infuriating and caused him to rethink their relationship. She was becoming more and more distant over the past few weeks and seeing the video confirmed his suspicions on why. It all came back to one person.

"This is one of the reasons I am going forward with my plan. There will be no secrets among our new society. Those that lie will be punished severely. I will not let these people ruin our beautiful, perfect world. The world is better off without the liars and cheaters, and those that choose to follow our truthful ways will be rewarded. Now tell me, will you join our cause, Drew?"

Drew raised his head and stared at the man's relaxed, blue eyes. Each word he said added fuel to his anger and he wanted nothing more than to see _him_ suffer by any and all means. Yet, the thought of his girlfriend having to suffer the same fate was enough to make him think rationally. In spite of what he saw, he still loved her. He didn't want to leave her behind when, and if, they completed the plan.

"I'll need a minute to think it over, Lysandre. Do you mind if I step out?" He asked the man with burning orange hair, and was kindly motioned to the door.

He stood up slowly, still shaking with anger, and headed to the back exit of the cafe. He breathed in the fresh scent of rain water and instantly looked up at the gray sky. Red walls were stained with dried drops, rooftops rolled many more to the ground beneath him. Many people walked passed the alley with an umbrella while others took their chances with only a hoodie to protect them. It wouldn't be long for the rain to come down hard again.

He ran a hand through his hair and gripped a good chunk of it, pulling it in frustration. As Lysandre had said, he had a gut feeling they would meet each other in this region and she would unexpectedly try to talk with him. That feeling proved true when he showed up at their event and her expression change the moment they locked eyes. He saw a sort of twinkle he had never seen before but dismissed it as poor lighting in the building. How stupid of him to not see the warning signs even before that. On the plane ride she was fidgeting in her seat and wouldn't finish a meal. At the Grand Festival, she wasn't focused at all and her early performances were atrocious. They spent a lot of time apart during the tournament and barely spoke two words to each other. Only after she had beaten him in the final stage did things go back to normal for a while.

She told him she loved him, and he thought it to be true. Everything in his life was infinitely better when she was around. Seeing her be affectionate with someone else, someone he loathed, shattered the trust he had. If he did follow through with Lysandre's plan, no matter how outlandish, he wasn't sure if he'd be able to abandon her. She was the only person in the world who made his life worthwhile and it killed a small part of him to see the truth.

"I was never yours, was I?"

He inhaled sharply at the sudden pain in his chest, stumbling to the side and kicking loose bottles around as he landed with a thud against the wall. Hunched over and breathing heavily, he clung to his shirt and pulled down as if it was the reason behind his lack of blood flow. The same thing happened the night before but not as severe as what he felt at the moment. That was a slight shiver that he easily shook off as opposed to the sharper and mind-numbingly excruciating throbbing that paralyzed him at the moment.

Drops of water contained memories that briefly came to life as they poured down. It started with him winning his first Grand Festival and looking out at the crowd and seeing her smile. Then missing the finals the next time and confessing his feelings for her before they left the city. Finally ending with her winning the last Grand Festival and seeing her beautiful smile grow even bigger was the highlight of his life. She trained so hard for years and to finally see her win the big competition, was no doubt the happiest he had seen her. He shut his eyes and was overcome with guilt for leaving her for the night. She deserved far better than someone who was insecure of his own relationship.

The rain started to pour with more intensity and there were less people in the streets because of it. If he were to pass out his only chance of being found would be by the cafe staff taking out the trash. But just as quick as it came, it went away and he was left sitting on the wet pavement with his back leaning on the wall and staring at the gray skies. His chest was still pounding loudly and a slight buzz rang in his years, but he was breathing normally again. The water felt refreshing against his burning skin and somewhat relieved the tension in his shoulders. He needed to see her again. Without talking to her, he couldn't go ahead with Lysandre's plan.

"_Drew_!"

An unexpected voice called to him at the entrance at the alley. He stayed put, drained from the abrupt discomfort that coursed through his body. Rain dripped from the tip of his nose and the ends of his hair that clung to his temple. His jacket and shirt were soaked and heavy against his tired body. Eyes refused to open to acknowledge the presence splashing its way closer and closer. Yet he forced himself to raise his head and meet face to face with the unknown person standing in front of him.

Almost immediately did his pain subside and was replaced with animosity upon noticing the bright red cap covering raven hair.

"You have a lot of nerve showing your face, Ash." His voice was low and mostly drowned by the downpour.

"Get up, I'm taking you back. May's been worried sick about you."

"You would know that, wouldn't you?" Tired as he was, he still managed to push away the hand that tried to pick him up. The last thing he wanted was help from the guy that was trying to replace him.

"What are you talking about?" Ash recoiled, wiping his face of the water that showed no signs of stopping.

Drew rolled his head back until it hit the wall. "Don't lie to me! I saw you in her room last night!" He burst out. The nerve he had, denying the truth when he saw it all unfold just minutes earlier.

Ash looked looked away, dropping his head and lowering his voice. "Nothing happened, Drew. All we did was talk. I was comforting her."

"Say what you will but it won't change the fact that she's not over you." He swept back wet green hairs from his eyes and followed Ash's movements as he paced in front him.

"It's not like that all. She's my friend and she always will be, but that's it."

As he attempted to clarify his statement, Drew moved his hands from his lap and placed them on the wall, knees buckling as he stood up. Feeling his otherwise healthy body give out for no reason was something he never experienced before. He had no idea what caused it and why it went away so fast, but he still felt the effects of it.  
"You're full of it. I see the way she is around you, laughing at every stupid thing you say, blushing whenever she looks at you. You can't tell me you still don't hold any feelings for her." His body staggered in place, only preventing himself from falling over by leaning on the wet wall.

Ash fell silent once more, this time staring directly at him. Although the rain provided a great cover, Drew could see the faraway gaze that told him he was deep in thought. No matter which way he spun it, the outcome would not be favorable. Looking past him, two other figures emerged from the street and stood side by side at the entrance of the alley. Even with blurry eyes he could distinguish the people staring at them, and he saw his one opportunity to get back at Ash for ruining his relationship.

"Of course I still love her. She, she was the best thing to ever happen to me but–"

Drew wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and smirked. His energy was coming back slowly but the fatigue wouldn't stop him from enjoying the satisfaction of his personal vengeance.

"I fucking knew it. Did you here that, May, Serena?"

The look on Ash's face was priceless. His body went stiff, mouth hung open in shock. It almost made up for the months of doubt he went through, but it wasn't enough. Not until the harrowing thought of losing his loved one destroyed his conscious.

A booming clap from the dreary skies filled the unbearable silence that came over them, resonating throughout the city and fading into nothing seconds later. He watched Ash reluctantly turn to the two girls fixed to the spot; one crying and hiding her face, the other holding an umbrella in one hand while making a fist with the other. Her smoldering gaze burned through the misty air. The damage was done. No matter what happened next, it wouldn't bring him the same gratification of seeing the one person who wrecked his life have to deal with losing the girl _he_ loved.


	9. Chapter 9

**I wasn't expecting to take this long finishing this, let alone 2 months on one chapter, but here it is. My updates going forward may be slow at times, but only because I want this story to be great. I am looking forward to this new year and all that it will bring. A few new stories may come, who knows? Stay tuned and enjoy this new chapter for _Dying Flames_!**

* * *

**Chapter 9**

The cold wind picked up as the day wore on, nipping at her face and exposed skin that wasn't covered by a jacket or leggings. She held on tightly to her umbrella to keep it from flying away in the storm. At times it felt like she would be whisked away with how strong the winds were, but thankfully she had a firm grip on the handle. It also helped that Serena held on to her arm as they walked down the empty streets to their next search location. For now it was just the two of them alone, huddled underneath the blue umbrella, searching for the waitress they met the night before. Maybe they could get new information out of her this time around.

An uneventful walk, for the most part. The howling winds made it a slower trek than it should've been. Add in the pouring rain and it was easy to see why no one else was out in the streets. Even with their umbrella to cover them, they were still pelted with freezing drops coming from all sides. Serena was smart enough to bring a scarf and boots to further protect herself from the elements while she was unprepared with only a light jacket to deal with the blistering cold.

Each shop they passed along the way looked so warm that it almost made her take several breaks just to escape the wrath of the storm. They couldn't stop, though, not even for a second. Time was precious and they couldn't afford to get sidetracked no matter how inviting the shops appeared to be. To make sure that didn't happen she sped up and practically pulled Serena along until they reached the intersection with the café right in front of them. Drawing in a quick breath, she looked both ways and walked forward to the odd red building that stood out among the pale and desaturated homes and shops around it.

"Hello, welcome to the Flare Café!" They were greeted immediately by the hostess as they entered the eerie establishment.

Serena unhooked her arm, undid her red scarf, and smiled at the girl. May followed suit and closed her umbrella, dusting off her sleeves from the accrued moisture and wiping her face as well. Just like before, the decor of the building made her uneasy as she walked behind Serena to the counter. She took a quick look around but didn't see anything significant that told her Drew was in the building. The place was nearly empty yet the waitresses were busy cleaning tables and tending to the few customers that were there. She took a seat and waited for the server to notice them.

The waitress from the night before finished wiping a wet glass and gingerly came towards them.  
"H-hi there. What can I get for you today?"  
"Hi, we were here last night. I was wondering if you have seen the guy we're looking for." Serena handled the conversations seeing as she was friendlier and was able to coax the little information the waitress had. Hopefully she was able to get more.  
"I'm s-sorry, you'll have to order something if you want to sit at the counter." She pulled out a small notepad and pen and waited for their order.

Serena turned to her for guidance on what to do. May could tell right away there was something off with the waitress. The stuttering and hesitant movements were a dead giveaway. Her mirrored sunglasses made it hard to read her expressions since all she saw was her own reflection. It was odd to see not just her, but all the crew members wearing the same shades and flaming red pantsuit. The feeling of being watched suddenly crept upon her, like each of the staff members had an eye trained on them and followed their every move.

She simply nodded to tell Serena to play along. It was all they could do at this point.

Serena looked over the menu and quickly picked out the first thing that caught her attention. "I'll have a small latte and a blueberry muffin, please."  
"Same for me." Having eaten a big breakfast, May was glad she picked only a muffin as a snack and not one of the specialty foods that were sold.  
The waitress furiously jotted down their order, taking the time to write a bit more which only added to her anxiety of being in the shady building. They ordered the same thing, what compelled her to keep writing beyond their order?

"It'll be a few minutes for your lattes." She reached down behind the counter and grabbed two muffins covered tightly in plastic wrap and a huge sticker on top. Before handing them their snack, she tore their order sheet and placed it face down in front of the muffins, turning around quickly to start on their coffee.

May and Serena looked at each other with uncertainty, each of them expecting the other to reach for it and read whatever she wrote down. May looked at the waitress who only poured the steaming coffee from the machine and pulled out ingredients one at a time from the overhead cabinet. She paid no attention to either of them and kept on task.

To her side, she watched as Serena extended an arm and grabbed the paper and flipped it over. Their order was written in red ink at the top, but underneath it was a small block of words written in big red letters. She leaned in closer and read silently with Serena.

_This place is bugged. They watch and listen to everything. I can't say anything or they'll take me in the back. My boss met with the man you are searching for and they talked in this room a while ago. He stepped out to the alley and hasn't come back. Whatever you do, stop my boss. He is insane._

Both of the girls were in a stunned silence after reaching the end of the letter. Their hunch turned out to be right. The cafe must have been a front for illegal activities hidden behind whatever the waitress insinuated in her letter. Her uneasiness came back in full force, making her heart beat faster knowing she was being watched from possibly all angles. She and Serena avoided speaking for the moment to keep things a secret. The staff continued their work, but who knew which of them were eavesdropping. Maybe they all were.

"Here are your two lattes. That'll be 7.50, please." She slid the two cups in front of them and went back to work on another order.

Serena pulled out her wallet from her purse and placed two bills on the counter. Out of habit, May unwrapped the muffin and grabbed a good chunk and popped it in her mouth. She chewed on the pieces of blueberry and washed it down with a sip of hot coffee, white foam reaching the tip of her nose as she drank. Despite the decor of the building and haunting atmosphere, the food was surprisingly delicious. Food was often a crutch when she was stressed. It was easily accessible and brought comfort whenever things were too heavy. Even though she already ate breakfast, what was another muffin added on to it? It would calm her down enough to think of the next steps.

"We have to hurry. He might still be in the alley." Serena whispered to her as she scrambled to put her coat back on, not bothering with her food that was beginning to cool down.

May bit another big piece off the muffin and drank a bigger gulp of her latte, slightly burning her tongue in the process, and began gathering her belongings from the empty chair next to her. Dusting the muffin crumbs from her shirt, she put on her coat as well and rose up from her seat to follow Serena. As she did she couldn't help but wonder what Drew was involved in. Judging from the cult-like atmosphere of the building and workers, she could only guess the worst. Whatever the case, their answer may have been out in the storm.

* * *

Rain kept pouring down, showing no difference than earlier when they came in. May held the umbrella over their heads while they walked a few steps to their left and stopped short of the entrance to the narrow alley. Fear kept her from looking around the corner. She held her breath the entire time, her whole body shaking from other things besides the fierce winds. The waitress' cryptic words followed her and caused her to worry about Drew's condition. There was no telling what kind of twisted things the owner said to him or if he was tortured the entire night. Her mind kept running through terrifying scenarios, each one worse than the last, which brought her nothing but grief.

"May, did you hear that?" Serena gently nudged her shoulder and tore her away from the sickening thoughts in her head.

She focused her attention back to the task at hand and tried to listen to whatever it was Serena heard.

_"It's not like that at all!"_

She turned to Serena, who had the same perplexed stare at realizing who was talking. "Is that..Ash?"

They couldn't explain fast enough as to why he was there. His voice came in just loud enough to cut through the pitter-patter of rain hitting the concrete.

_"She's my friend and she will always be, but that's it."_

Cautiously, they both stepped forward but halted just as quick once the scene before them came into view. Standing a few feet away, drenched from head to toe, were Ash and Drew locked in a standoff. Drew had both hands on his knees with his whole body sagging forward like he was weighed down with rocks in his pockets. Seeing him bent over in obvious pain automatically filled her with dread that Ash may have done something to him. Judging by the hostility that was in the air, and adding in their sketchy past, it wasn't much of a reach to say things turned physical. Drew was laboring to draw in a single breath. His eyes were covered by thick strands of his hair, glued to his face with the pouring rain. It was difficult to tell if he had any bruises or blood anywhere on his body from her position.

Meanwhile Ash stood tall, raindrops bouncing off his hat and running down the tips of his dangling fingers. He wasn't known to have a temper that made fly off the handle, unless he was losing a significant Pokémon battle. No, he wasn't a violent person by nature so he wouldn't strike unless provoked. He also didn't show signs of an altercation taking place, which for the moment brought her relief. It looked more like it was a verbal fight more than anything with how far they were apart. That raised more questions than it answered, though. Why then was Drew wobbling back and forth trying to stand upright?

"You're full of it."

His voice was just as weak as his current stance. Nevertheless it had a powerful impact within her knowing he was in severe pain. Yet he still tried to be strong and never show a sliver of weakness. Pride and arrogance was the biggest issue between the two of them that she never fully understood. Surely her affection towards both of them wasn't the main reason for their disdain towards one another, was it? In their minds it appeared to be, but it had to go deeper than just falling for the same girl. Success? Opposing views on official battles and contest battles, perhaps?

As she tried to solve the issue in her head, Drew swept aside his green locks and raised his voice.

"I see the way she is around you, laughing at every stupid thing you say, blushing whenever she looks at you. You can't tell me you still don't hold any feelings for her."

A shiver ran down her spine upon hearing those words. Likewise, Serena's grip on her arm tightened as they found out the topic of Ash and Drew's disagreement. Stiff as boards they stood next to each other, wondering what sort of response Ash would come up with. From what she remembered while being with him, he wasn't the sharpest in formulating his emotions into words. Being with Serena appeared to change him drastically; something she noticed during their talk the night before. Even though it was dark, she could almost see his eyes light up when he spoke fondly of her. Sure he was still relaxed and humorous, and they had a blast catching up, but the change was extremely noticeable. Like night and day compared to the boy she first met all those years ago.

Seeing him smile alongside Serena filled her with joy for her friend, but also a bit of sadness knowing they once shared that same connection. It shouldn't have. There wasn't a reason for it to bother her at all. Him going out of his way to check on her didn't help keep away the apparent leftover feelings. It somehow struck an ill chord once thought to be severed the day he left. Laying in her bed while he was feet away, staring at nothing but the dark ceiling and occasional blinking light coming in from the outside. As the world slowly faded away and she entered the unknown, for just a short moment, it was almost as if they never broke up. He was back in her life and she didn't want him to leave again.

Ash raised his hand to his face, appearing to wipe his face clean while thinking of a response. "Of course I still love her."

The answer had the opposite effect on her than she thought it would. Her mind went blank, body stung with a sharpness that resembled an electrical shock. The small part of her that held on to a single strand of their love disappeared the moment Serena's hand went limp. She was afraid to turn her head but knew exactly what was happening. Instead she stared ahead and caught a glimpse of Drew grinning at her. Regret for hurting her new friend instantly turned to hatred towards the man smirking and flicking his hair to the side.

Ash wasn't making the situation any better.

"She...She was the best thing to happen to me, but—"

Right away she could tell he was falling into Drew's trap. She honestly didn't know who the man that stood before her was. The Drew she knew would never think of something so vindictive, no matter how awful he was treated. He was ruining two lives with his actions and severely driving a wedge between them in the process.

"Did you hear that, May, Serena?"

His voice was coarse, striking a nerve with her that pushed her past angry. She dug her nails into the hard plastic handle of the umbrella, enough to cause a chipped nail, and rolled her free hand into a tight ball that hung firm at her side. Her attention was so drawn to her crazed boyfriend—and knocking some sense into him—that it took her a minute to notice Ash gawking at her and Serena. Still not being able to face her, she heard Serena stifle her sobs.

May couldn't blame her. What else is one to do when their significant other revealed they still have feelings for their ex, and that ex was standing next to her? Anything she said to remedy the situation wouldn't go over so well. Besides, the only words she could think of at the moment were foul, malicious, and directed at the smug face barely able to stand.

"Serena, I didn't-it's not.." He took a few steps forward as he tried to explain himself, poorly. His dark eyes were pleading for help from outside forces, but none were foolish enough to intervene in such a sensitive matter.

A sick feeling formed in the pit of her stomach realizing just how awful the situation was, and being in the middle of it was beyond terrible. She never intended to cause harm to either Ash or Serena. In the short time she knew her, she found Serena to be caring, friendly, and overall a good friend. Ash was still an important person in her life, though not at the same capacity as when they were younger. The last thing she wanted was to impede in their relationship.

Ash took tentative steps through the puddles, helplessly waving his hands through the air. "Please, let me explain...Serena...Serena!"

In a flash, Serena ran off to the main streets behind them, splashing through the rain puddles that littered the cement road like potholes. Ash stopped and momentarily looked over at Drew. She held her breath hoping Ash wouldn't do something he'd regret. Seconds felt like hours the longer he quietly gazed at the bastard who was ruining his life. She saw his body shaking, angrily and in a position to charge, but he never moved. The dark clouds rolled along and brought a thunderous roar yet he didn't flinch. She was too terrified of his murderous intent to step in. She only saw this in him once before, many moons ago, and she knew better than to get in the way.

He walked a few feet backwards, without taking his threatening stare off Drew, before turning around and running out of the alley after Serena. No words or even a glance as he raced past her. A quick wisp of wind passed through and made her sigh in relief. Things could've turned for the worst had he chosen to attack. A hit or two felt reasonable given the circumstances. Drew fabricated a problem out of assumption and baited Ash into revealing a secret they were never meant to hear.

Now it was her turn to deal with him.

"Why are you doing this, Drew? This isn't who you are!" Her voice came out hoarse with rage, though the downpour lessened the impact slightly. Resentful contemplation kept her from marching forward. Stepping directly in front of him meant dealing with any surprises he had up his sleeve. And with the way he coaxed Ash, for the first time she was afraid to be near him.

"My chest is killing me." Drew tugged on his soaked shirt, pulling it away from his body like it was burning his skin. "I don't know what hurts more, this or your lies." He leisurely rolled his head up from staring at the ground, giving her a clear view of emerald irises swimming in a pool of red.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Confusion began to swirl within her. She couldn't recall an instance where she openly lied to him.

He raised a hand to slick back his hair, a disgusting smile came soon after. "I've seen it all. Don't act like you're innocent in all this." His defeated body managed to stand upright with a few cracks coming from his tired bones.

"In what?! You're not making any sense, Drew!"

She held on tighter to her umbrella, keeping it from flying off with new gusts of winds present. Her shaking was not associated with the current chill in the air. It was caused by the man inching closer and closer to her with zombie-like movements.

"You let him into our room, May." He spoke along the way, eliciting a series of groans with each step. "You were touching and grabbing him whenever you felt like."

Her breath caught in her throat. She tried to remember if she did anything to warrant his accusations, but truth be told she had trouble pinpointing anything that felt odd. As far as she was concerned, it was a regular conversation between old friends. How he became aware of the events was the real question. The constant uncertainty was beginning to give her a headache.

Before she knew it, he was within an arms reach and straining his entire body to look normal.

"I mean, why not sleep with him and get it over with?"

With his smirk, coupled with the impassive delivery, her simmering rage resulted in a thoughtless act that required no explanation. Raising her free hand from its braced position, she opened her palm and delivered a sudden blow to his freezing cheek. It didn't matter who it was, she would never let anyone talk to her in such a derogatory manner.

"I can't believe you would think that of me. You honestly think I'd do such a thing to hurt you?"

His head recoiled but recovered just as fast. He rubbed the underside of his jaw and continued to smile at her. He appeared to show no remorse whatsoever, instead looking like he was about to burst out laughing. "Who knows? You might've enjoyed yourself more with him than me.."

Another strike landed cleanly near the same spot as before. Her hand stung quite a bit from the second hit. In a matter of seconds, she went from never hitting anybody to striking her boyfriend twice. Both times it was well deserved, yet his toxic words were starting to break her down.  
"What is the matter with you? Why are you saying these horrible things?"  
"The truth hurts, doesn't it?" His expression completely changed. The cocky grin dissolved into a frown, red eyes kept her engaged to his ongoing confession. "He's not over you, you're not over him. Why bother with me at all?"

Vulnerability seeped through the wall guarding his conscience. The deathgrip she had on her umbrella loosened completely, letting it just fall to the ground and exposing herself to the ongoing rain. There was a hint of the real Drew revealing himself. She needed to break through and now was the perfect chance. Raising both hands to his face, gently cupping the sides, she gave her tearful response. "Because..I love you, Drew. You and I have spent so much time together."

She recalled nights before a Contest and how they would simply watch a movie to keep their minds off it. Then she brought up times where one of them fell ill and the other would do their best to provide comfort. While clearing raindrops from his cold cheeks, along with soothing the single red mark on his face, she trusted her words to reach deep inside and pull him out of the strange darkness corrupting his mind.

"We've grown up together. I know this isn't you. You have to fight it." The stinging sensation of fresh tears was slowly matching her eyes to his, chilly drops drenched her outfit in a matter of seconds but it didn't bother her. She felt a small breakdown in his demeanor and offered a sense of encouragement that he was starting to return.

With every passing day she spent with Drew, she realized how important it was to fight for the person you cared about. The lesson came too late to fix her previous relationship. By then Ash was in the Sinnoh region and she began dating Drew. He never gave up hope in being in a relationship with her and in the end it worked out for him. They spent three amazing years falling for each other, building a life together that she didn't want to end. This time around she was the one battling to preserve those memories.

"Please, come back to me..." Shivering and feeling numbness in her feet, she caressed the increasing warmth of his face and bestowed a caring smile to reinforce her love. Any moment now he'd return to his senses, forget all that happened, and they'd be on their plane back to Hoenn.

Cold hands closed over her fingers, a wet forehead gently placed itself against hers. Hope that her words finally penetrated the fog in his mind, was quickly wiped away with his response. "I wish I could believe you," his lowered tone came in loud and clear, "but as long as he's around, I won't ever live up to your expectations."

She found it difficult to look at him once he raised his head and pulled away from her grasp. Tears accompanied the drops of rain that ran down her face.

"I'll always be the guy you settled for when your soul mate left you."

"Th-that's not t-true!" She clung tightly to his chest, pleading her case to him. "P-please, let's g-go home!" Whether he was under the influence of something or not, the impact of his admission was too much for her to handle. It was as if the freezing rain had reached her core and drowned any logic she had left. She couldn't let him go. Her life would fall apart if he left.

"I can't go back. There's a better life waiting for me." He held on to her shoulders and gently pushed her away. Each nudge and little shove tore a new hole in her heart, as if he were tossing her out like the garbage that surrounded them.

She wouldn't give up so easily. "No! Don't leave!" She tugged on the open flaps of his coat, hopelessly slapping his chest to satisfy her frustration. Drew never flinched or even attempted to stop her. His vacant stare remained steady and unblinking on his face. He looked as if he'd fall on top her without warning, but his breath was calm and his grip was starting to loosen.

The metallic door swung open behind him, causing her to lift her eyes past his shoulder and see a short woman step out. Her outfit consisted of a tight, red long sleeved shirt with the collar popped up, and matching red gloves. A red and black skirt was accompanied by orange stockings and red and white high heeled boots. What set her apart from the workers in the café was the short orange hair and the peculiar glasses covering her eyes. They were like something out of a science fiction comic.

"Drew, sweetie, the boss is waiting for us." She teased his name from the doorway, grabbing his attention away from her.  
"Sorry, May. If only you had kept your promise." One last gentle rub of her wet hands and a quick kiss on her forehead, he let go and started backing away. "You could've come with me."

Her legs gave way and she landed on the soaked street once he separated. Covering her mouth didn't help stop the stream of tears descending down her numb face.

The girl pushed the door wider as he approached her, brow furrowed and the corners of her mouth came upwards. "Aww, this is so sad. Don't worry, we'll take good care of him." As soon as he was close, she latched on to his arm and flirtatiously rubbed a hand along the length of his chest.

"Don't, DON'T YOU TOUCH HIM!" She was a sobbing mess. Thick hair was plastered around her face, her soaked outfit weighed her down lower than she already was.

"Bye!" The mysterious girl turned one last time and waved her gloved fingers at her. Her wide grin and the back of Drew's head was all she saw before the door closed completely.

"Drew..DREW!"

Her screams rang out throughout the alley in vain. Drew was already out of sight. Ash ran off after Serena. She was all alone, surrounded by puddles and trash, bawling her eyes out. The two people she cared about the most ended up abandoning her with little to no guilt. She was beyond sure she got through to him, but whatever lies he was told seemed to have a tighter grip on his psyche than reality. With what just transpired it was only a matter of time before she joined him in the madness.

The rain traveled down the brick sidewalk. Her wasted tears helped fill the crevices of the interesting mosaic pattern; a beautiful design lost on her due to the ever increasing stress. Lumiose had the most gorgeous walkways even in the dirty alleys of the city. Her fingers traced the gritty material, admiring the craftsmanship of the interesting design.

The icy rain no longer bothered her. She didn't feel anything, really. It was as if she was being shielded by an unknown force. It was dark but it kept the rain away.

_"May?! What happened? Are you alright?"_

She tore her eyes away from the watery road only to see three blurred figures surrounding her. A heavy coat went over her shoulders and immediately brought warmth to her freezing body. She managed a smile through the exhaustion as she was helped to her feet. The space around her was spinning so fast. Flashes of black arose out of thin air. The blurry faces staring at her became even more unrecognizable. Eventually, the entire area became a big void of nothingness as she collapsed in the arms of her helpers.


	10. Chapter 10

**The latest chapter in _Dying Flames. _Author's Notes at the end will go over my plans regarding this story. Enjoy and leave a review if you like it!**

* * *

**Chapter 10**

The words never should've left his mouth. There wasn't a reason to justify his feelings to Drew in the first place. It didn't involve him in any way, yet he was roped into revealing intimate emotions liked a damned fool. If she wasn't standing behind him, he wouldn't have been able to control his anger. Through sheer force of will he ran off without escalating the situation and sprinted after Serena.

He didn't know where Serena took off to and was just blindly running through puddles in the direction of their hotel, the only place he could think of. His chest ached, eyes stung from the slashing winds and rain, but he kept running. A little rain wasn't about to slow him down and keep him from setting things right. The winds, though, were a bigger issue. No matter how fast he ran he wasn't making great strides in the freak weather. His superior stamina was no match and only led to frequent breaks and huge intakes of breath. It was like running in a hurricane. The cold was all but gone with the constant running, leaving him tired more than anything.

Taking off his hat, he slicked his hair back and wiped his face with the sleeve of his sweatshirt. With such a late start in the chase, he was wasting minutes walking the next few blocks instead of continuing his run. He took quick glances through the many shops lining the streets in hopes of catching sight of her. Nothing at all a few streets back and the same result going forward; just random people going about their day. These people had enough sense to wait out the storm in the warm confines of the brick buildings. Meanwhile he braved the elements and searched for the girl who rejuvenated his waning interest in love.

Though they only met a few months back, and just recently began dating, in one month alone Serena returned the passion that left his heart a long time ago. The day they first met solidified they're growing bond when she handed him a handkerchief after a tough loss to Viola. Her kind smile stirred something up inside him and willed him to victory in his rematch with her watching from the sidelines. He felt obligated to keep her smiling from then on and promised to never lose with her at his side.

"That sonuva-" He cursed Drew's name under his misty breath, himself as well, for causing her pain. Insecurity had already begun way before his stupid remark reached her ears. He was able to mend her fears at the time, but with new troubles arising, he had his own doubts of fixing the situation.

He felt bad having to remind himself of her wholesome qualities whenever he questioned their relationship. Each time he came to the same conclusion: she deserved better than what he was offering. His latest blunder was further evidence that he wasn't completely in control of his feelings like he led himself to believe. Years went by but he still had the emotional capacity of a ten year old. The things people said about him being dense were all true. He had all he could ever want in a woman in Serena. She was supportive, an excellent motivator, and held him in check when his anger got the better of him. If only he kept his mouth shut, he wouldn't be nearing another disastrous end to an otherwise perfect relationship.

His pace was slower, fatigue began setting in as adrenaline left his body. He stopped at the corner of a shop and placed a tired hand on the wet brick wall. Throbbing pain seared his side as he looked around the intersection and found familiar company running to him from across the way.

"Ash! What happened? Where's May?" Clemont yelled while coming up next to him with Bonnie at his side and Pikachu on her shoulders. He angled the umbrella he carried to partially deflect the rain from them all.

"Why was Serena crying Ash?" Bonnie placed her tiny arms on her waist and leaned forward to hear his response. All while having her brow furrowed and probably assuming he was the cause, which indeed he was. Her accusing tone was ignored and replaced with a question of his own.

"You saw her?"

Clemont was much more understanding of the situation and calmly informed him of her whereabouts. "She ran past us and headed back to the Pokemon Center. I don't think she saw us."

Ash straightened up and twisted his waist side to side. The pain lingered still but he had to suck it up. Shaking both his feet to renew his energy, he took a few deep breaths and told the siblings what to do next. "Call Officer Jenny and head to the cafe. May's in the alley alone with Drew. She could be in danger."

Pikachu hopped off Bonnie's shoulders and landed at his feet. "_Pikapi_!"

He sternly shook his head at the little mouse looking up at him worriedly. "Stay with Bonnie, Pikachu. May needs you more than I do right now. You do whatever she says and protect her."

He knelt down and gave a quick pat on its head, before standing up and walking past the pair of blondes. As much as he'd like to have his friend tag along and help with Serena, Pikachu's strength was needed elsewhere. He stepped off the curb and took a moment to catch his breath.

"Ash, wait! What exactly happened with Serena?" Bonnie yelled at him again and again he paid no attention to it.

"There's no time. I'll explain everything later. Just go!" He jogged off and left the two behind.

The chase continued once more. Having been told Serena's location, he sprinted in the direction of their hotel room and ignored the cramping in his side. The pain he felt would be nothing compared to the devastating loss of his relationship with Serena. He kept his eyes to the road ahead and trusted the siblings to help May. With Officer Jenny's help they would most likely stand a chance against that cocky bastard.

More than once he had to recover his balance after stepping in puddles deeper than they appeared on the surface. He had to dodge and run around the few people who were strolling along the road. Easy obstacles were getting in the way as his mind was wandering off into the deep recesses of his thoughts. Each stride along the slippery road brought unwanted memories of his first breakup at the worst time possible. He was able to brush them off before, but potentially suffering the same fate twice was enough to relive that terrible day. When his heart prayed for a positive outcome, his mind went ahead and played devil's advocate and brought on the vivid visions of his failed relationship with May.

* * *

_A beautiful spring day with flowers blooming and a gentle rustle of leaves was the backdrop to a dreadful event. Just a little over a year spent by her side did he realize just how unhappy he had become. She wasn't the reason, not by any stretch, but self loathing knowing he wasn't any close to fulfilling his dream. May was on the verge of securing her spot in the Johto Grand Festival with just two ribbons remaining, putting her closer to reaching her goal. Meanwhile he went day after day stuck in an endless slump, doing his best to support her despite the dwindling interest in Contests. _

_She spent more time with other Coordinators to swap stories and talk strategy before and after a Contest. Training and making Pokeblocks took over most of the downtime they had. When she wasn't preparing for a Contest, she was off doing interviews and signing autographs. __Old and new faces popped up to congratulate her and give her advice on how to deal with the media. Her name was being mentioned with the likes of Wallace and Solidad as the next Top Coordinator. __With each win she became more popular and he was pushed off to the side to witness her sudden rise to stardom. _

_Unfortunately her newfound fame brought a number of problems to the table. Their time together was almost nonexistent. Arguments they never had before were suddenly a daily occurrence when one of them was in a foul mood. Even when things appeared to be fine there was the slightest trace of bitterness towards one another. Everything seemed to be falling apart right before his eyes. _

_Sapphire eyes that matched the clear blue sky stared back at him; hurt, confused, angry that the one person she could trust was abandoning her. _

_"You promised me, Ash. You said you were always going to be by my side." _

_The pain of seeing her cry did little to change his mind. Each blow of her shaky fists against his chest chipped away at his resistance but he remained strong. He had to withstand the frustration and disappointment that resulted from their declining relationship. After all, he was the one who was unhappy and wasn't putting in the effort to keep it afloat. They fell into a place where each of them strived for different goals. He wouldn't be able to grow into a better trainer if he wasn't out exploring the world and honing his skills. Cutting it off now would be the best option for both of them._

_"Why aren't you saying anything? Don't you love me?" She tugged and pulled on his shirt, craning her neck back to meet his solemn gaze. _

_He didn't dare look away. Something about her always captivated his attention ever since they first met. A familiar, yet rare sense of beauty not found in any other person. Were the situation a different one, he'd offer a smile to show his appreciation like other times before. Nothing about their current state called for such an action, though. _

_He remained stone-faced and responded with few words. "...Yes, I do."_

_"Then why are you leaving?" Her cheeks were flushed with a bright red hue. Out of anger or anguish, who could say at this point? She held a tight grip on his shirt and prevented him from stepping away. __Remaining in place doing nothing wouldn't make matters any better. __Every passing second tore away the invisible ties they created. Once thought to be an everlasting love, no blemishes or oddities on the surface, began to dissolve into mere whispers carried through the air and disappearing into nothing._

_Placing both hands on her shoulders, he lowered his head and shielded his distraught look with the bill of his cap. The best way to go about his decision was to avoid the beautiful face that enamored him in the first place. Otherwise he'd revert back to the bumbling idiot who could never get the words out in her presence. _

_"You'll do better without me, May. I'll only hold you back." _

_May slumped herself against him and openly bawled, not bothering to look at him any longer. Her tears soaking through his shirt were scattered darts striking different nerves. His head remained lowered and the urge to cry along with her was suppressed with all his might. __The trust they had in one another shattered in seconds and rocked his entire body. A tingling sensation traversed his insides, making him shake uncontrollably as the weight of his decision landed on his shoulders with a loud thud. There was no turning back. He had to live with the choice and the regret that was sure to accompany it._

* * *

The sliding door of the Pokemon Center opened in front of him and at last he was out of the rain. The lobby went quiet almost immediately. Eyes from other Trainers fell upon him as he made his way to the elevator. Drops rolled off his clothes and onto the clean marble floor. Each step he took made a loud plop with how soaked he was. He pressed the button and waited patiently for the numbers overhead to reach the bottom. Then came the murmurs. His vision was on the door and not the people walking by still looking at him oddly. Silently he felt them judge and subsequently they were forgotten once the doors opened.

Once inside the compact area and his floor chosen, he extended an arm against the rail and wiped his face with the other. The hum of the elevator and the soft music coming from the above speaker relaxed him to a certain extent. He needed to remain calm in order to not ruin his one attempt at rescuing his relationship dangling by a single thread. For that to happen he had to push out the previous thoughts tormenting him along the way. It was a different situation with a different person at the center of it. This was the moment where he would figure out if he actually learned anything from his past mistakes and could utilize the experience in a positive way.

He wobbled a bit as the elevator came to a stop. With renewed energy, he stepped out on his floor and went straight to their room at the end of the hall. The rooms all faced enormous glass windows overlooking the skyscrapers and mountains to the north, which at the moment were cast in a dull gray with just a hint of yellow peeking through. Narrow rays struck the side of his face as he passed the other rooms and made it to the end of the corridor. He paused at the entryway once he noticed a small black tag hanging off the handle.

_'Do Not Disturb'_

It was expected but troubling nonetheless. Having spent the night away he had forgotten Serena held their keycard. Discouraging sight as he became aware of his rapid heartbeat. The cold winds lingered long after he stepped inside the building. A chill gathered at the tip of his fingers and traveled up his arm and down his body. Just as he thought he relaxed, the nerves came rushing back and hit him like a train. Overthinking was as bad as doing nothing. He needed a clear mind or else risk seeming doubtful in Serena's eyes. Lightheaded and exhausted beyond belief, he tapped gently on the white wood and held his breath for a response.

No answer.

Again he knocked, a tad louder than before. "Serena..."

"..._Go away. I don't want to talk to you_." The layers of wood were deafening her voice but couldn't conceal the weeping. Her cries doused his high spirits and raised the difficulty of his apology.

Placing both hands on either side of the entryway, he leaned forward and stared at the red carpet under his feet. "At least let me explain, Serena. I want you to know the truth."

Silence followed on the other side and in the empty hallway. A loud pounding rang in his ears as he tried to find any sound coming from inside the room. He could only guess what was going through her mind.

The result wasn't looking all that good, especially with the dim remark she gave. "..._You said you loved her, Ash. You lied to me_."

His head lolled back and stared up at the ceiling, lips shut tight to form a straight line. He backed himself into a corner with his dishonesty. His knuckles turned white from gripping the door trim so tight. The dizziness felt none too pleasant coming out of the rain and into a fresh hell of regret. His eyes closed automatically in a state of despair. Old memories that were meant to be cherished were causing tension that was threatening to end another relationship.

His mouth went completely dry. Weak air from his lungs somehow managed to surpass a growing lump in his throat. Attempts at speaking only yielded awkward facial expressions without words leaving his body. He was taking such a long time answering back, but his head was empty. All he could think of saying was something he wanted to tell her to her face.

"I'm sorry, Serena." The crown of his cap met the hard wood and once again dropped his gaze to the floor with growing pains in his chest. The plea to be allowed inside held more of an impact as he choked back the tears. Deep breaths were the only thing keeping them at bay.

A faint scrape of the door renewed his hope and forced him to take a step back. He heard one of the locks slide away and another bolt turn. The handle slowly moved down and the door pulled slightly open. Nobody stepped out. He took the handle and stepped inside, quickly closing it behind him.

Serena sat on the stool in front of the dresser. Her dark pink hat was off as were her shoes. Tissues crumpled into balls were tossed in and around a waste basket by the door. He shuffled in front her and sat directly across on their bed. The moment he met the cushioned surface, he was aware of just how tired he was. His hands went immediately to his knees and sagged his body forward, hiding his face from her for the moment. His legs felt like weak strands of noodles that would break if he put any more pressure on them. It took some effort to remain upright instead of falling back and resting his body.

After scratching an itch across his forehead, he grabbed the bill of his cap and threw it aside on a pillow. Her swollen eyes were the first thing he noticed as they stared at each other, both of them expecting him to speak first.

A few deep breaths and he was ready to clear up the confusion surrounding them. "I can't change what I said or what I felt for May before. That's all in the past. You have to understand that it has nothing to do with getting back together with her." He slid forward to the edge of the bed and reached for her hand. "I want to be with you, Serena."

He feared she would pull away, disgusted and disappointed, and rightfully so. Instead her hand remained limp underneath his thumb and palm. She brought her other hand to rest beneath her chin and tilted her head slightly. Despite the tears drying up, the hurt in her voice was clearly still present. "But why? Why did you say it?"

The question was predictable. His eyes shifted from hers to the circular motions he made with his thumb. He was careful with his words. He needed to be. The slightest slip up would have him repeating the same mistake twice. "She was my first girlfriend, Serena. I can't forget all the time we spent together. I just can't. Believe me, I've tried."

From time to time he'd wonder how she was doing. He knew about her professional life being exceptional, yet her personal was a mystery to him after they separated. He heard things floating around in tabloids and gossip shows, but they were quickly forgotten like most rumors tend to be. There were flashes in and out of his head throughout the years since he left. Easily swept away with new challenges occupying his thinking, but they often lingered. The stretches where he wasn't thinking about her, he was enjoying the life going on around him. New food to eat, new pokemon to catch, there wasn't more he could ask for. The few times he did picture their relationship he became a little more reserved and refused to speak with anyone about his issues. He'd take walks alone and stare reflectively at a pond or stream, maybe skip a rock to distract him.

Over the years he grew to cope with the loss and worked on becoming a better person. By then people close to both of them had heard of their breakup and his reputation took a nosedive. People he called friends suddenly turned their backs. Not one bothered to listen or reach out. He didn't go through the trouble of defending his decision since they already made up their minds about him. The logical step was to turn his back also and move on.

One setback, although a very sensitive one, wasn't going to stop him from being himself. When someone needed help he was still there, no questions asked. His motivation was still the same and carried him to tough and rewarding battles. The time on the road showed he improved in little ways, but he still had problems expressing his feelings. He was leaps and bounds ahead of his past self that the few times he stumbled Serena was there to lend a hand. Clemont and Bonnie would undoubtedly do the same, but with her it was different. She was always there when he needed her, and when she wasn't, he fell hard. He depended on her just as much as she did of him and to lose it all would leave him far more broken than he'd ever been.

He swallowed before speaking again. Thinking of a life without her started to sink in as a real possibility. "Since you and I first met I've managed to stop thinking about her long enough to open my heart to you. Serena, you're everything I could've ever asked for. I never intended to hurt you."

"There's this nagging feeling in the back of my mind that makes it hard to trust you, Ash." Serena brought her hand over her mouth, as to cover a cough, but instead led out a gasping breath of anguish that brought a new trail of tears. "How do I know nothing happened when you spent the night with her?"

Each sentence was followed with a quick pause to compose herself.

"How do I know you won't leave me like you did May?"

With every word she said, she reached into his chest and jerked his heart around like a silly plaything. It was agonizing to the point where he had trouble correctly responding to her burning questions. The hole he was already in couldn't be any deeper. He had to claw his way back up and make her see just how ridiculous the entire situation was.

The petting stopped as he closed his hand over hers and slowly bent his head forward. "I would never cheat on you, Serena. I can't imagine myself ever being without you." He felt confident in his answer, but it didn't stop his voice from breaking towards the end. It wouldn't take much to push him off the edge and join her in the agony.

He took his time raising his eyes to look at her. The rain hitting his face had less of a punch than the stinging tears threatening his firm poise. He needed to appear strong at the lowest point of their relationship to let her know things were going to be alright. Seeing her tear-stained face, a mix of pink and red, could very well have been the image that kicked off his new devotion. Never did he want to witness such a woeful sight from the girl who entrusted her heart to him.

A hand released itself and found its way to the right side of her face, entangling fingers in her golden hair and gently rubbing away the wetness under her eye. She felt warm under his touch. The sensation was a mixed bag of compassion and sorrow. Under normal circumstances he'd do more than just keep his hand on the same spot to comfort her, but given the circumstances he held off going any further.

He breathed in deeply, preparing for his final point and possibly ending their continuous rift. "I'm sorry for what I've said. I'm sorry for ever making you doubt us. I promise, I'm giving it my all to make sure you're happy." An encouraging smile was all he could give. An acceptance to his apology was all he wanted in return.

Removing her hand from her mouth, she brought it down over his and closed her eyes. Her quiet sobs were a discouraging notion and far from the response he was hoping to get. He didn't allow himself to think what her possible rejection would lead to. He had to hold on to the small belief floating in a sea of doubt. He didn't dare hang his head in defeat. He made sure to keep his sight fixed on her despite the grief it caused him to see her cry.

His look never wavered as he saw her reach past his face and placed a hand to his drenched hair. "Please keep your promise, Ash, and I'll do the same." Her caring smile was worth more to him than all the badges he earned.

"I will." He couldn't contain the happiness spreading throughout his body and washing away the misery that rooted itself at his core. In an instant, he was on his feet and pulled her up with him, wrapping her tightly In a tearful embrace and burying his face into the crook of her neck. She forgave him, and now it was up to him to not mess it all up. No matter what forces interfered with their happiness, he was going to be her source of light that kept away the mysterious darkness.

While they reconciled, the phone went off across the room and was ignored by the happy couple making amends. Before long the ringing stopped and a message was left behind and began to play automatically.

"_Ash, Serena, are you there? Please pick up. May collapsed and was admitted to the Pokemon Center. She's not doing so well."_

* * *

**A/N: I will be putting this story on hold for the time being. The reason being that other non-writing projects have popped up and I won't have as much time to write. Sorry for ending it on a slight cliffhanger but I wrote it long before things started changing for me. I've only had time to do minor edits and couldn't think of another ending. Thanks for reading and I hope to see you around when I get back.**


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